Hyderabad: The SCB, which supplies water to residents in its jurisdiction, is being treated as a ‘commercial bulk consumer’, by the Metropolitan Water Board.
Generally private non-residential outlets including hotels are considered ‘commercial bulk consumers’ and charged extra. The board is charging SCB Rs 13.5 per kilolitre, whereas the rest of Hyderabad pays only half or Rs 7.5.
Almost 54 per cent of SCB’s jurisdiction comprises urban slums, which are being forced to pay more for water. The cantonment consumes 63 lakh gallons of water per day (LGPD). The Water Board supplies water through 12 bulk tapping points from where it is pumped to localities like Karkhana, Balamrai, Lothkunta, Bolaram, Bowenpally, on the SCB borders, through inlets.
Explaining the water charges, SCB superintendent M. Raj kumar said, “The SCB water board charges Rs 315 per month for one connection in the colonies and Rs 160 per month in the slums. On an average the SCB losses a minimum of Rs 2 crore every year due to reasons like subsidies and revenue gap.” He said the Water Board had been asked several times to bill the SCB at the rate at which it supplies the GHMC, or Rs 7.45 per kilolitre.
It is not as if the Water Board fulfils the demand of the SCB, which it bills higher. Against a demand of 90 LGPD, the Water Board provides just 63 LGPD.
SCB vice-president J. Rama Krishna said, “Our residents are suffering because of inadequate water supply. We have three demands: Treat us on par with the residents of the GHMC area; give us adequate and regular water supply; waive commencement charges.”
Explaining the third demand, Mr Rama Krishna said, “Whenever we start a new project, the Water Board demands a huge commencement charge. The SCB is taking care of the pipelines and infrastructure at its own cost, so we have requested waiver of the commencement charge.”
Mr N. Mallikarjun, a resident of Padmaja Colony, said, “We are also residents of the same city, why are we being charged more when compared to the other parts of Hyderabad?”
This newspaper tried contacting Water Board officials to ask them to explain the dual pricing of water in the same city but they were not available.
