Water tariff blues for dwellers of new sectors in Mohali

Pavneet Singh Chadha

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 15

Same city and different water tariff! Yes, this is true.

The 12,000-odd consumers living in Sector 66 to 69 and 76 to 80, Aero City and Eco City are in a state of shock after receiving water tariff bills up to 5.5 times of what they used to pay till September this year. The bills, which were issued this week, are for three months from September-November.

The consumers whose water bill till August used to range between Rs 350 and Rs 400 now have to pay between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000.

However, the rest of Mohali residents are still being charged the old water tariff at a flat rate of Rs 1.8 per kl.

The new tariff is even more than that being charged in Chandigarh. The residents of the areas where the new tariff is applicable get water supply from GMADA, which had in September hiked the tariff from Rs 1.8 per kl to up to Rs 10 per kl.

Ironically, this area also falls under the Municipal Corporation (MC) limits. However, water supply and sewerage there are still maintained by GMADA.

“What is our fault? Are we being penalised for GMADA supplies water to our localities?” asked many consumers living in the 9 sectors and two townships.

Dr Pawan Kumar Jain, a former MC Commissioner, said this was probably the first-of-its-kind case in the country where different water tariff was being charged in the same city and that too with a difference of up to 5.5 times.

“How can you charge a resident of Sector 69 at the rate of Rs 10 per kl and those living across the road in Phase VII Rs 1.8 per kl,” Dr Jain argued.

The social activist has also urged the Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who approved the hike being the GMADA Chairman, to reconsider the decision and not to make the essential commodity a source of income for any government body.

Parminder Singh, a local resident said, “Earlier I was paying Rs 250, but I was surprised to see the recent bill of Rs 925. A hike of 10-20 per cent is acceptable, but this is extortion.” Karam Singh Mavi, general secretary, RWA, Sector 69, said, “We get limited water supply here, especially in summers, and that too from tubewells. Residents here do not get water from canals. Instead of providing proper water supply, GMADA has decided to charge us more.” Satvir Singh Dhanoa, who represents Sector 69 residents in the MC House, said the decision was ‘irrational’ considering the scarcity of water in the area. “We have submitted a letter to GMADA requesting for a rollback of the new tariff.”