DKS hints at water tariff hike by one paise per litre

Water tariff increase will be discussed with city legislators before a decision is taken.
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Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also in charge of Bengaluru Development, on Friday said he had directed officials to revise the tariff by at least one paise per litre of Cauvery water supplied to the city.

He said the tariff had not been hiked since 2014. Given the mounting losses, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board had suggested a seven to eight-paise hike per litre. “We, however, are contemplating revising the tariff by one paise per litre. We will discuss the issue with the city legislators before taking a decision,” he told the Legislative Council while responding to Congress legislator Ramoji Gowda, who had urged the government to provide Cauvery water to homes in light of onset of Summer.

The Deputy Chief Minister also said the yearly losses of the Board had gone over ₹1,000 crore. Mr. Shivakumar also said the government would be taking over water tankers this summer as well. “The water tanker business has become a mafia. Plans are also being drawn to fill up lakes in Bengaluru with treated water to improve the ground water table.”

Alternatives being mulled

He also said the BWSSB was looking at an alternative to pumping Cauvery water to Bengaluru from Torekadanahalli as it results in an annual loss of about 3 tmcft, besides incurring a huge power bill to pump water.

Among other measures taken to improve water availability in Bengaluru, Mr. Shivakumar said, “Currently, property owners are paving the three-foot building setback available to them in the properties. We will make it mandatory to keep it open for water percolation.”

Month-long campaign

The Deputy Chief Minister also said that from March 22, Save Water Day, a month-long campaign would be organised to create awareness about conserving water. He pointed out that during the summer of last year, nearly 7,000 borewells dried up in the city causing acute water shortage.

On the implementation of the Cauvery 5^th stage, he said measures were being taken to supply water to 110 villages. “Developers who constructed apartments had not deposited the amount with BWSSB but took connections illegally. All of them are being served with notices,” he said.