Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

VMC planning to fix water meters to all domestic connections: CPI(M)

Staff Reporter

Says the Corporation is not making the city development plan public fearing backlash

VIJAYAWADA: The city development plan (CDP) submitted by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to the Centre for getting funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) has laid a clear road map for fixing water meters to all domestic connections in seven years, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) alleged here on Wednesday.

The CPI(M) floor leader in the VMC general body Ch. Babu Rao said at a press conference that the CDP had not been made public so far mainly because of fear of a backlash from people, as it contained many `anti-people' reforms. Quoting from the CDP, Mr. Babu Rao said that in pages 58 and 98, the authorities said that the VMC was "encouraging consumers to take water meters." A total of Rs.1.30 crores would be spent on fixing water meters during the seven financial years between 2005 and 2012.

The VMC had expressed a commitment to spend Rs.18 lakhs in first year, followed by Rs.29 lakhs in second year, Rs.39 lakhs in third year, Rs.20 lakhs in fourth year, Rs.13 lakhs in fifth year, Rs.6 lakhs each in sixth and seventh years for fixing water meters to all domestic connections in addition to the expenditure for metering all connections of bulk consumption.

Mr. Babu Rao alleged that the authorities had also undertaken to remove all public taps and legalise all illegal connections to cut down revenue loss from water supply by 5 per cent to 10 per cent in the short run.

The CDP, he said, had `dangerous' proposals relating to increasing property tax by 10 per cent every year from 2006-07. This would be done after introducing unit area method.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

VMC silver jubilee festival to kick off tomorrow
Lack of industrial thrust causes concern
Swimming pool disappoints learners
Creating employment avenues
VMC planning to fix water meters to all domestic connections: CPI(M)
Government offices to have new premises
PG medical counselling from Monday
Man held on cheating charge
TDP poster on YSR rule
Around The City
In Vijayawada Today

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu