BJP corporator challenges move to hike charges

PUNE, MAY 23: In a shocking admission, municipal commissioner Ramanath Jha has said that over Rs 70 crore meterised water tax dues were out...

PUNE, MAY 23: In a shocking admission, municipal commissioner Ramanath Jha has said that over Rs 70 crore meterised water tax dues were outstanding and pulled up the civic water supply department for its failure to recover the same.

He was replying to BJP corporator Vijay Kale at Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body meeting on Wednesday. Kale had challenged PMC’s proposed move to hike the water tax pointing out that it has failed to recover the dues for the past several years.

Jha admitted that the meterised water tax due for the last five years itself was over Rs 70 crore and assured the civic general body of a drive to recover the same. The PMC is considering handing over the task to private parties, he added. The Commissioner’s reply failed to satisfy Kale who challenged the meterised water tax system itself and demanded that it should be scrapped. He said that on several occasions the water department issues incorrect bills and the citizens are forced to run from pillar to post to get them corrected.

“If citizens have failed to pay the tax earlier then it was not their fault. They have visited the PMC several times to procure a corrected bill, but in vain,” he said. The PMC should concentrate on recovering the water tax dues from commercial establishments, he added.

Jha assured that he would look into the issue and arrive at a policy decision in this regards within next two months. Meanwhile, local Congress corporator Shiva Mantri on Wednesday launched a hunger fast at the PMC gates to protest against irregular water supply to Erandawane area. Jha assured that immediate steps would be initiated to improve the water supply to the area.

The agitation was withdrawn by Mantri later .

This followed an assurance that normalcy in supply will be restored within a week.