Flats spared of water ‘charges’
Hyderabad, July 3: The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, on Friday decided to keep in abeyance the collection of Rs 125 per flat per month in residential complexes towards water charges in the GHMC limits.
The decision was taken apparently in view of the GHMC elections. The government had earlier suspended collection of the same amount during general elections. The Chief Minister held a review on water supply in GHMC area.
“Do not pay the charges and send away the water board staff even if they ask for it,” the health minister, Mr Danam Nagender, told flat owners.
Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, the minister said only the common bills raised against the water consumed in the complexes need to be paid.
The Chief Minister also approved the Water Board’s proposal that the GHMC should pay a portion of its revenue to the former due to increase in the maintenance costs.
Sources said GHMC commissioner, Mr S.P. Singh, suggested merger of the Water Board into GHMC. The Chief Minister, however, turned down the proposal and wanted the officials to study the pattern in Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi where the municipal bodies pay 20-30 per cent of their revenue to respective Water Boards.
Dr Reddy also directed officials to immediately allot 5,000 houses to beneficiaries who paid Rs 11,000 towards their contribution under the Rajiv Gruhakalpa.
The Chief Minister said he would take up with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Urban Development Minister Mr S Jaipal Reddy about the inclusion of Godavari water to city scheme phase I under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Meanwhile, the state government on Friday appointed an expert committee to study all issues pertaining to the supply of purified water in rural areas.
The committee will study the technology of reverse osmosis to purify water, its adaptability and feasibility of setting up plants, involving women thrift groups, pricing the purified water and drawal of water from existing drinking sources.
Latest Comments
HMWSSB utterly failed in meeting the commitment of supply norm of 15KL of water supply per month per flat in a building or to an independent house as committed in the Board Proceedings No.121 dtd 14-12-2006 passed by the HMWSSB and published in AP Gazette Part II, Extraordinary No.429 dtd. 29-12-2006, when the Board is collecting certain amounts from consumers based on/quoting the same Board Proceedings and Government Orders. Very glad that they have taken action finally. Board has collected much more money from consumers without supplying the most essential commodity since JANUARY'07.
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