Bengaluru: A steep hike in property tax , a higher power tariff and now revision in borewell charges. Bengalureans will have to dig deep into their pockets soon with government agencies increasing their rates.
The latest to join in is the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), which is setting out to rectify its “error” and introduce multiple slabs of borewell charges for consumers occupying buildings on sites of different dimensions.
The board claims it has until now been misguided about the rates, having "misunderstood" the provisions of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2009. Its new rates, which will apply to buildings with less than 10 floors, have been forwarded to the government and will come into force once it approves them.
While earlier, everyone was charged Rs 100 for each borewell, now those living on the ground floor of a 30 x40 ft plot building will have to pay Rs 100, those on the second floor and on every additional floor, Rs 50.
But those living in a building on a 60x40 ft plot, will have to pay Rs 100 each, no matter what floor they live on and people living in buildings on a 20x30 ft plot will have to pay Rs 50 irrespective of the number of floors.
The only relief, however, is to consumers who have no borewell connections as they will be exempt from the charges. Also those living in apartment complexes of over 10 floors will continue to pay Rs 100 for their borewell connections.
Defending the proposed revision, the BWSSB says it is a class subsidy , meant to help those belonging to the lower strata of society.
Its engineer-in-chief, Krishnappa, explains, “So far we have been collecting a flat '100 per building as borewell charges. But during recent inspections, we realised the BWSSB was treating and transferring sewage through sanitary facilities even for consumers of borewell connections and so revisited the Act and re-learned the provisions.”
According to BWSSB officials, there are 2.99 lakh registered borewell connections in the city, but unconfirmed reports say there could be four lakh.
There are also 9,000 public borewells in the city. The board hopes to rake in an additional income of at least Rs 4 crore from the revised charges.
