The Hindu : Front Page : Government mulling water tariff hike

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Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
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Government mulling water tariff hike

Staff Reporter

N.K. Premachandran says the State is facing a water crisis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is actively considering various proposals submitted by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to revise water tariff for all consumers in the State, Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran has said.

Replying to questions in the Assembly on Monday, the Minister said the KWA spent Rs.8.61 for filtering and distributing one kilolitre of water. It collects Rs.2 to Rs.7.35 from domestic consumers, Rs.7.35 to Rs.10.60 from non-domestic consumers and Rs.10.60 from industrial units.

Mr. Premachandran said the KWA had to get Rs.179.56 crore towards water charges from domestic and non-domestic consumers and industrial units till March this year. Local bodies owe Rs.609.60 crore to the KWA. Steps have been taken to collect arrears from consumers by holding adalats at the divisional level.

Replying to a question, the Minister said the State was facing water crisis as there was a deficit of 65 per cent in rainfall this year compared to last year. The water level in dams, including Peppara in Thiruvananthapuram district, has come down

The Minister said the government was planning to present the water policy in the current session of the Assembly. Social auditing of projects being implemented by the KWA with public assistance is under consideration.

Medical university

Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy told the House that the Left Democratic Front was yet to take a policy decision on where to set up the proposed medical university in the State. The government has received the B. Ekbal committee report and is examining it.

Steps have been taken to improve the faculty in government medical colleges. Laboratories would be set up by cooperative societies in government hospitals which did not have them.

Suburban trains

Minister for Railways M. Vijayakumar said introduction of suburban trains in the State was not under the consideration of the government. The government has requested Railways to grant stoppage for all trains at the Pettah railway station.

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