PMC move checks water tanker prices

The water scarcity that hit the city hard last year had given a major fillip to the private water tankers business in the city with the owners making the most of the opportunity and exploiting the dire situation faced by citizens need.

The water scarcity that hit the city hard last year had given a major fillip to the private water tankers business in the city with the owners making the most of the opportunity and exploiting the dire situation faced by citizens need. To reduce the suffering of citizens,the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the first time put price restrictions on private water tankers threatening to debar them from taking water from refilling station if they charged more from citizens.

The situation is well under control this year so far with the civic body able to supply required water to citizens. We continue to provide water to the private tankers on demand. However,to keep a check on the water tankers engaged in making money,the civic administration has introduced smart cards wherein the supply to each tanker service provider will be registered, said Pramod Nirbhavane,PMC Development Engineer.

The PMC has its own 23 tankers and also 47 more on contract basis. We supply water at nominal charge to the housing societies on demand, he said adding that citizens can avail of this facility instead of falling prey to the high prices charged by the private operators. The planning for water management is done and steps will be taken as required. The civic body also plans to introduce restrictions on private tankers during the water scarcity situation, Nirbhavane said. After complaints of more money being charged by the private operators last year,the PMC had fixed charges and disallowed them from selling water at price above the fixed charge. The PMC had fixed a rate of Rs 600 per 10,000- litre tanker,Rs 700 per 15,000-litre tanker and Rs 800 per 20,000-litre tanker,per trip. Dinesh Kamble of Vithal Water Supply said that the introduction of the smart card system will stop irregularities that exist in the business of water supply by private tankers. We had cooperated with the civic body last year and will do so this year as well. However,the civic administration should revise the fixed rate decided last year as it would be impossible to run the business on the same rate this year when the fuel prices have increased, he said.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Tags:
corporation

PMC move checks water tanker prices

The water scarcity that hit the city hard last year had given a major fillip to the private water tankers business in the city with the owners making the most of the opportunity and exploiting the dire situation faced by citizens need.

The water scarcity that hit the city hard last year had given a major fillip to the private water tankers business in the city with the owners making the most of the opportunity and exploiting the dire situation faced by citizens need.