A big no to hike in NMC water tariff

NAGPUR: As expected the ruling and opposition groups in Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) launched strong protests against civic administration's decision to hike water tariff. With the civic body elections just five months away, none of the political parties are in a mood to face the citizen's adverse reaction following the hike.
Citing losses, municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal approved of the water works department's proposal suggesting 5% hike in water tariff.Water tariff was hiked for three times in 2009 and then reduced twice in 2010. Considering the fact that citizens and social organizations are in no mood to shell out more as water tariff, BJP-led ruling party as well as Congress-led opposition has termed the decision anti-public.
Ruling party leader Praveen Datke said, "Based on my report, the general body passed a resolution favouring no hike in water tariff till March 31, 2012. However, the state government, as per a notification issued in 2009, has bestowed special powers on municipal commissioner to increase tariff by 5% every year. But, the ruling party will ensure that the administration is not allowed to levy the hike tariff."
Datke was unable to prove that there were no differences between the office bearers and the municipal corporation.
Leaving no chance to criticize, opposition leader Vikas Thakre alleged that the ruling party had only increased the burden on common man's pockets in last four and a half years' tenure. "BJP has failed to maintain command on the administration. Due to their differences with the administration, the hapless citizens are left to suffer. Congress corporators will launch severe agitation against the hike and expose the ruling party before the people," he warned.
Meanwhile, social organizations in the city are all set to launch attack on this decision. The civic body had to reduce the 2009 hiked tariff due to huge criticism from the general public.
The water tariff was increased to a great extent in 2009. Bowing to the pressure from citizens, the civic body reduced the tariff to some extent. Still, the hike was two times more than that existed before April 2009.