The Hindu                      28.03.2013

Revision of water charges unlikely

G.V.R. Subba Rao 

The water charges revision is unlikely to happen if the
developments in Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) are any
indication. The proposal is said to have been kept on the back burner
due to difference of opinion among higher ups.

The
budget has to be presented before March 28, however, the revision
proposal is unlikely to find place in it as the district Collector, who
is special officer of the corporation, is not in favour of it. The VMC,
earlier, had plans to revise the water charges from April 1 onwards.

The
VMC officials are said to have planned to take approval from
theCollector before introducing it in the budget. The Special Officer,
sources say, evinced interest in the proposal to revise the charges in
view of poor finances of the corporation, but, as the things stand now,
the water charges revision will not see the light of the day. As the
news broke out, Opposition parties vehemently opposed any upward
revision. The officials are said to have been pressured by the elected
representatives to shelve the proposals. The elected representatives
also fear that the revision would invite wrath of public during an
election year.

The revision in water charges will
bring additional revenue of Rs.11 crore. At present, the corporation is
running the show with a deficit budget of Rs.5 crore every month.

The
VMC has put forth the proposals before the government seeking its
direction on hike in water tariff. The corporation officials cite the
gross mismatch between expenditure and recoveries on supply of safe
drinking water.

The corporation is presently spending
about Rs.20.50 crore on safe drinking water supply to the public.
However, it was recovering only 40 per cent of the expenditure involved
in the water supply.

The water charges are likely to
be Rs.140 from existing Rs.80 per household. In 2003 the VMC increased
the tariff from Rs.50 to Rs.100 per HSC. Later, it was brought down to
Rs.80 in 2005.