New Year shocker: Water dearer
Hyderabad: Residents of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and adjacent areas will get their first shock of the year this month from the Metro Water Board (HMWS&SB) — the revised tariff of drinking water by the water board will come into effect from this month. Water Board authorities have already made arrangements to ensure proper bill collection from the consumers. The Board has issued instructions to meter readers and meter instructors to undertake bill recording and distribution processes. Managing Director Adhar Sinha held a detailed review meeting with officials over the implementation of the revised tariff. Speaking to Postnoon on implementation of the revised tariff, Sinha said that the increase in drinking water charges was inevitable as they did not have any other option to bridge the huge gap between the income and expenditure.
The Board is currently under a Rs16-crore revenue deficit every month, he said. The MD has further added that with the revised tariff, the Board will get and income of `52 crore every month, which will meet its requirements. “With the tariff revision, we will get about Rs.52 crore every month. This will fulfil our monthly requirements,” he said.
Trickledown effect
The coming into effect of the revised drinking water charges is likely to have a trickledown effect in the GHMC limits.
While the individual buildings and apartment owners have already announced revision in their monthly rents and maintenance charges citing hike in drinking water charges, water bottling units have also announced that they would also increase their charges. The tariff revision of drinking water is likely to increase house rents by 5-10 per cent in the GHMC limits. “I was paying Rs.150 per month for drinking water. Now my owner has asked me to pay `300 per month as there is an increase in water charges,” said Madhava Reddy, a resident of KPHB Colony.
City-based AP Hotels Association has also announced that they would also slightly increase the rates of their products to transfer the burden onto the consumer. “We are already burdened with hikes due to VAT, property tax and unending inflation. We have no option but to revise our existing rates to counter the fresh hike,” said President GV Krishnaiah.
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