Automatic meter scheme to be rolled out next yr

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 28

The Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) today decided to launch the automatic  meter reading scheme from the next year. It will also replace old sewage lines and repair public toilets in the city.

Deputy Mayor Tikender Panwar, who chaired the general House meeting today, said the House had agreed to charge the consumers as per consumption, not by the average bill. The automatic water meters would be installed by utilising funds to be granted under the AMRUT project, which has a provision for such meters, he said.

On objections raised by councillors on meter chargers and rates of the water per liter, Panwar said the House would “decide” the rates, even if it was authorised to the state government.

He said the House passed resolutions to spend Rs 33 crore for repairing public toilets, sewage lines and water tanks and pipelines in the city.

The leakages in the Koti-Barandi old water pipeline are being plugged and Rs 17.85 crore has been earmarked for the purpose. Over Rs 2 crore is being spent on new works, Rs 9.09 crore on replacing old sewage lines in the city and Rs 13.81 crore is being spent on the upgrade of Kraignano-Dhalli line, he said.

MC Commissioner Pankaj Rai said 26 public toilets in the city would be repaired and others would be constructed on a priority basis and the councillors were asked to submit more proposals in this regard. "We will spend Rs 96.76 lakh on constructing and repairing public toilets," he said.