Water bills in P’kula to rise 100-300% : The Tribune India

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Water bills in P’kula to rise 100-300%

PANCHKULA: After a gap of nearly 16 years, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has increased the water tariff. Panchukula residents will now have to pay more for water. The new rates came into effect today.

Water bills in P’kula to rise 100-300%


Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 1

After a gap of nearly 16 years, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has increased the water tariff. Panchukula residents will now have to pay more for water. The new rates came into effect today.

HUDA has revised the water tariff for both residential and commercial use. From June 1, residents will pay Rs 5 per kilolitre (kl) for using water up to 20 kl. In the second slab, they will have to pay Rs 10 per kl for consuming water above 20 kl a month. The hike in the residential slabs is between 100 and 300 per cent.

The rates were last revised in October 2001.

Under the revised tariff, there will only be two slabs — one for consumption up to 20 kl and the other above 20 kl. Earlier, there were three slabs — Rs 1.25 per kl for up to 15 kl, Rs 2.5 per kl for up to 30 kl and Rs 4 per kl for above 30 kl.

The tariff in other segments such as industrial, commercial and institutional, has also been increased between 150 and 300 per cent.

As per the new tariff, there will be a flat rate of Rs 15 per kl against the existing Rs 4 per kl in the industrial and commercial segment, including SCOs, hotels and restaurants. Similarly, there will be a flat rate of Rs 10 per kl against the existing Rs 4 per kl in the institutional segment. For un-metered connections, mainly in plotted colonies, HUDA will charge Rs 200 for plot sizes up to 100 m, and an additional Rs 200 for every additional 100 m. A senior HUDA official in Panchkula said the notification regarding the new rates was issued by the Chief Administrator, HUDA. He said HUDA was spending around Rs 9 per kl on the water supply to houses and was generating a revenue of around Rs 2-2.5 per kl. The rates had been increased to minimise the gap. 

“There was no need to increase the water charges. HUDA has failed to provide water. There is a water crisis all over Panchkula. First they should provide adequate water and only then the rates should be increased. I demand an immediate rollback of the water tariff hike,” said SK Nayar, Chairman, Citizens' Welfare Association, Panchkula. 

“The rates have been increased as there is a huge expenditure on the water supply. Since the rates have been hiked, I suggest HUDA should now improve the water supply. If the supply improves, people will not mind paying more,”  said Rakesh Aggarwal, chairman, Lok Sarvhitkari Society, Panchkula. 

Sewerage charges hiked too 

HUDA has also increased the sewerage charges. These will now be a flat 25 per cent of the water bill in all categories. Earlier, the charges used to be calculated on the basis of the number of toilet seats being used on the premises. 

Other categories 

  • A flat rate of Rs 15 per kl against the existing Rs 4 per kl in the industrial and commercial category.
  • A flat rate of Rs 10 per kl against the existing Rs 4 per kl in the institutional category.

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