Mhow: Proposal to increase water tax to compensate losses

Mhow (Madhya Pradesh): The Cantonment Board is incurring loss of crores of rupees each year due to water tax. In order to increase the revenue, the barrier tax was increased six months ago. Now a proposal has been prepared to increase the water tax three-fold to compensate for the loss. In the next 30 days, the council has called a meetins to discuss about claims and objections about the proposal.

After that, a proposal will be brought in the board meeting. Every year about Rs 3 crore is being paid by the council to the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) for Narmada water. In return, the council earns only about Rs 65 lakh from the consumers. A proposal has been prepared by the Cantonment Board to increase water tax which will be three-fold.

However, the council has given time till October 21 for claims and objections regarding the proposal. After that the proposal will be brought in the board meeting. It may be mentioned that in 2010-11, the council increased the water tax. Superintendent Satish Aggarwal said that after claims and objections, a proposal will be brought in the board meeting.

There are 2,500 valid Narmada and 1500 boring tap connections in the city. The council pays tax to the municipal corporation of around Rs 3 crore for Narmada water each year. Electricity bill of Rs 1 crore is paid annually for boring work in the city. Lakhs of rupees are spent on maintenance work also. The council in return gets only around Rs 65 lakh annually as water tax.

Rs 3500 instead of Rs 750

According to the proposal prepared by the council, for first domestic water connection Rs 300 per month has to be paid instead of Rs 100. For other domestic water connections, Rs 400 has to be paid instead of Rs 150. Rs 2k per month will be levied for cinema halls, dairy, banks, restaurants and other commercial establishments, etc instead of Rs 750.

For marriage gardens, private hospitals, private schools, pathology centres and servicing centres, a charge of Rs 3.5k per month has been proposed instead of Rs 750. Similarly, instead of Rs 300, Rs 400 per month will be taken from other establishments including tea, namkeen and other shops. Rs 900 instead of Rs 300 per month will be levied on namkeen, confectionery and other similar establishments.

On the other hand, dharamshala, saloon, press, dyers etc. will have to cough up Rs 500 instead of Rs 200 as water tax. This includes Narmada tap connection, boring and water supply from submersible pumps.