Shell out less for water bills in Chandigarh from next month

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 11

Having paid high water charges for about eight months, residents will get a big respite next month. The Municipal Corporation (MC) will issue bills on the basis of reduced water charges from August.

The UT Administration had on May 25 issued a notification to put the hike in water tariff on hold till March 2022. The MC had approved these charges in September. There was a hue and cry when people started receiving their water bills with a three-fold increase. Later, the MC House rolled back the water tariff hike.

However, there was confusion among residents many of whom thought that they would get water bills on the basis of the reduced rates from the previous month. Since the old rates were notified in the end of May, the bills for June and July will be based on the old charges.

President of Second Innings Association, a senior citizens body, RK Garg said: “People were confused, but now the coming bills will be based on the old rates. However, we want the Administration to cancel the water-rate notification, rather than deferring it. After March, people will again be burdened with the same high rates.”

Baljinder Singh Bittu, Chairman, FOSWAC, said: “The old rates should be there even after March. People are facing inconvenience due to the faulty policies of the MC. They should also adjust the hiked rates paid so far by people in the coming bills.”

While the MC favours hike in water rates saying that it is already suffering losses due to the low charges, the Opposition blames huge water leakage and mismanagement for the losses.