Revoke water tariff hike or face stir: CPM to Himachal govt

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 28

The CPM has condemned the recent hike in water tariff introduced by the state government and Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL). It said that while rural areas had been exempted from water bills, the government was burdening people living in urban areas through such decisions.

Waive bills

We urge the government to withdraw the increase in drinking water tariff immediately and make water available in the city and other urban areas on the pattern of rural areas and also waive bills. Sanjay Chauhan, CPM Secretary

CPM secretary Sanjay Chauhan said, “We urge the government to revoke this anti-people decision with immediate effect. On the one hand, residents of rural areas have been exempted from paying water bills, on the other, under pressure from the World Bank and international financial institutions, the government has taken such a discriminatory and arbitrary decision to hike water tariff, which affects people living in Shimla city and other urban areas. By increasing water tariff by 10 per cent every year, the government is financially burdening people.”

Chauhan said, “People are already reeling under inflation and instead of providing some relief, the government has increased their burden by increasing water rates. Under the CPM rule in 2017, the Greater Shimla Water Supply and Sewerage Circle was formed under the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) for the arrangement of drinking water. But in 2018, the previous BJP government and the SMC dissolved it and formed the SJPNL to privatise the drinking water supply system in Shimla city. In 2018, Shimla city faced a drinking water crisis due to mismanagement.”

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