TIRUCHI: After their feeble voice against the water tax hike went unheard at the Tiruchi Corporation Council, the Left parties have now come out strongly against the move outside the council.
The City units of both the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have condemned the Corporation’s decision to hike the water tax from Rs.85 to Rs.160 a month and the deposits for new connections to Rs.5, 000 for the domestic category.
“Make it minimal”
The Corporation has resorted to the tax hike to meet the conditions laid by financial agencies to fund a major drinking water supply augmentation scheme.
The Left parties, which have just about half-a-dozen councillors in the 60-member Corporation Council, had demanded that the hike in the water tax should be minimal, the Mayor had overruled their objection before finalising the rate at Rs.160.
The district secretary of the CPI (M) S.Sridhar has strongly condemned the hike stating that it would put a heavy burden on the residents.
The Corporation in the past had been providing twice-a-day water supply and was collecting just Rs.35 a month as water tax. The levy has been gradually increased to Rs.50 and finally to Rs.85 a month in 2004 but the supply was curtailed to once in a day, which was not adequate for the city.
But now the water tax has almost been doubled and the deposit has been increased for new (domestic) connections by Rs.2,000.
“Elicit public view”
The Corporation should elicit the views of the residents before hiking the tax, Mr.Sridhar said.
He appealed to the State government to intervene in the matter and put the tax hike on hold.
Meanwhile, City committee meeting of the CPI has also taken strong exception to the Corporation decision. The City Secretary of the CPI K.Suresh said the committee, through a resolution, has demanded that the Corporation reconsider the decision and fix the water tax at Rs.100 a month.
The deposit for new domestic connections should be retained at Rs.3,000 without any change.
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