The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Vijayawada News : Move on water meters runs into trouble

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 05, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Move on water meters runs into trouble

By G. V. Ramana Rao

VIJAYAWADA, OCT. 4. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has launched a drive to have meters fixed to tap connections in residential dwellings, which have more than one portion.

Panic among people

The drive by the corporation has triggered panic among property taxpayers in the city. VMC has issued over 2,000 notices to domestic tap owners giving them a week's time to install a water meter or face the penalty of having their tap disconnected. The rationale behind serving of notices is that households that were given one tap connection were drawing water required by more than one family.

The Municipal Commissioner, V. Usharani, told The Hindu that notices were being served on owners of buildings that had only one connection, but more than one water "collection point or outlet". The notices were served on the basis of a survey conducted a while ago.

Parties oppose move

The elected representatives and political parties are opposing the notices as they are being issued in `violation' of the Municipal Corporation Act. They argue that the Act does not specify the number of families living in a house.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) floor leader, Ch. Babu Rao, said the corporation planned to garner additional revenue to the tune of Rs. 4 crores by fixing meters to domestic tap connections. The Congress, which was at the helm of affairs by virtue of a simple majority, would have to accept responsibility for the additional burden on taxpayers, he said.

There are 1.85 lakhs households in the city as per records of the municipal corporation. Houses in the congested old city and in the commercial centres have more than one portion. Different portions usually have separate drinking water taps.

The Congress that is claiming credit for reducing domestic water charges from Rs. 100 a month to Rs. 80 has become vulnerable to attack from its detractors. The monthly expenditure of a tap owner will cross the Rs. 100-mark and they may end up paying more without enjoying any benefit.

Activists of the Left parties believe that notices are the first phase of an effort to install meters for all water connections.

Negotiations

The Municipal Corporation Act, however, clearly states that only commercial institutions should be charged for municipal water by measuring the usage with the help of a meter.

While some Congress leaders are trying to negotiate with the Municipal Commissioner to stop the drive, the CPI (M) is all set to launch an agitation to protest against the move. The Municipal Commissioner said tap owners would be given a hearing and taps would not be disconnected in a hurry.

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