Naidu, while speaking to reporters, said he will hold a meeting with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and finalise the quantum of hike in tariff. “Upward revision of the tariff is inevitable as BWSSB is incurring heavy loss in supplying water,” the minister stated.
The BWSSB is spending Rs 33 to pump one kilo litre of untreated water from Cauvery river to Bangalore. It is supplying the treated (potable) water to its consumers at an average of Rs 9 per kilo litre.
As a result, the Board is incurring a loss of Rs 48 crore every month, he said and added that the Government has no choice, but to hike the tariff to make good the loss.
The BWSSB last hiked the drinking water tariff in 2001. In the last nine years, the operational cost has increased manifold. But the Board is charging mere Rs 90 for 10,000 kilo litre and Rs 135 for 15,000 kilo litre, he defended.
DH News Service
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