Ludhiana MC nod to water, sewer tariff hike proposal

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, November 10

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the MC House gave its nod to the proposal regarding new water and sewer tariff and hike in tariff during the house meeting held at Rose Garden here today.

The meeting was headed by Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal.

Once the proposal is passed by the government, exemption on water supply and sewer charges, given to residential properties up to 125 sq yards, will be revoked. The exemption will be given to the single-storeyed houses up to 50 sq yards.

As per the proposal, the exemption for the domestic water supply connection will be given to only single-storeyed residential property up to 50 sq yards. But monthly water and sewer tariff will be fixed for up to 50 sq yards (multi-storeyed) and 50 to 125 sq yards residential properties. Besides, new water and sewer tariff will also be fixed for properties above 125 sq yards as per the proposal.

If the proposal gets approved by the government, the water-sewer tariff will be increased too. As of now, the MC has been charging fixed slab rates from consumers under different categories, but once the water meters are installed, volumetric tariff shall be implemented.

The opposition councillors of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), BJP and others were earlier demanding that the proposal regarding the new water and sewer tariff be kept pending for next one year. However, only a few councillors spoke on the issue today and the proposal was later approved by the house without any strong opposition.

Sewer charges

100% of charges for piped water supply

Notably, the proposal related to the implementation of new water and sewer tariff, installation of water meters and to levy water supply and sewer charges also on properties up to 125 sq yards was kept pending during the house meeting on December 31, 2019. A number of councillors had then raised objections against the proposal for levying water and sewer charges on the properties up to 125 sq yards. They had demanded that exemption up to 125 sq yards should not be cancelled.