Though Chandigarh is fast approaching to become one of the smart cities in India with all enhanced civic amenities for the public, but soon to be implemented hike in water tariff might bring down the happiness of the consumers of the City Beautiful.
The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is planning to bring more than three times hike in the water tariff across the city. The revised rates will be applicable on the bills that has water consumption of 30 kilolitres a month or more. The agenda of the tariff hike will be proposed for approval during the Municipal Corporation’s House meeting at the end of this month and is likely to be implemented by April.
How will the consumption rate increase?
Talking about Chandigarh’s average domestic consumption of water per person per day is 252 litres, which comes out to 8000 litres per person in a month. However, the consumption of water differs from sector to sector and on the basis of the house area. 10000 kilolitres a water is consumed by a resident of posh sectors in a month, which is greater than a 5 or 10 marla house of any other sector.
Other facts about the tariff hike
- The proposal is projected because of the telescopic water tariff system to be introduced by the civic body in Chandigarh.
- Under this system, the tariff hike will hit people with higher water consumption while the basic minimum water requirement will remain to be at lower rates.
- Consumers with more than the basic minimum water requirement will be charged more.
- A family staying in a 1- kanal kothi located in northern sectors of Chandigarh, with 6 members will be effected most by the water tariff hike.
- The study of the civic body’s engineering wing reports that a resident of the posh sectors in Chandigarh consumes 934 litres to 1376 litres of water per day.
- Sectors like 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9 are consuming over 1000 litres of water per person per day, which is far more than the average domestic demand of 252 litres per person per day in Chandigarh.
- As per the MC official, the treasury is bearing loss due to the major difference between the cost of procurement and the water tariff charged in the city.
Proposed hike in Chnidgarh water tariff:
0-15 kl = Existing Rs. 2, Proposed = Rs. 2.
15- 30 kl = Existing Rs. 4, Proposed = Rs. 4.
30- 60 kl = Existing Rs. 6, Proposed = Rs. 8.
60- 80 kl = Existing Rs. 8, Proposed = Rs. 25.
Above 80 kl = Existing Rs. 8, Proposed = Rs. 40.
So, all you Chandigarhians, get ready to shell out more for every litre of water you consume from next month. Also, wish the approval to the plan gets rejected in the MC House meeting and the corporation finds out some other solution to deal with the problem.
Update: The proposed tariff hike has been rejected by Chandigarh Mayor.
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