MCC council reduces water tariff, SWM user fee

Mangaluru: At the first meeting of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) council, held nine months after the election, a major decision was taken to reduce the drinking water tariff and the solid waste management user fee on Thursday.
The drinking water tariff was revised when the MCC was under the district administration’s control on June 15, 2019. Accordingly, in the first slab (from 0l to 8,000l), the tariff was Rs 7 per 1,000l. In the second slab (from 8,000l to 15,000l), the tariff was Rs 9 per 1,000l. In the third slab (from 15,000l to 25,000l), the tariff was Rs 11 per 1,000l and Rs 13 per 1,000l for all consumers whose consumption crosses 25,000l per month.
The council meet held on Thursday revised water tariff based on complaints from the public. As per the revised tariff, the minimum charge will be Rs 60 for the consumption of 10,000l per month. In the second slab (from 10,000l to 15,000l), the tariff will be Rs 7 per 1,000l. In the third slab (from 15,000l to 25,000l), the tariff will be Rs 9 per 1,000l. In the fourth slab (from 25,000l to 30,000l), the tariff will be Rs 11 per 1,000l and Rs 13 for all consumers whose consumption crosses 30,000l per month.
Mayor Divakar from the BJP said many people have raised objections to the water tariff revision made by the administration in 2019. “Hence, I have decided to revise the tariff so that it will not be a burden on people,” he added.
Opposition leader Abdul Rauf and other Congress leaders however opposed the revision, and demanded a roll back of tariff existing prior to June 15, 2019. Praveenchandra Alva, corporator from the Congress, said the minimum charge for water consumption was Rs 65 for up to 24,000l per month in the tariff prior to June 15, 2019. Meanwhile, Rauf demanded the water bills of people in the city should be waived for three months from April, due to the Covid crisis.
The council meet resolved to reduce the user fee per month from each waste generator in the city for solid waste management, based on the built up area of their properties. The fee for properties up to 500 sq ft built up area, which was Rs 50 per month, has been reduced to Rs 30. The fee for properties from 501 sq ft to 1,000 sq ft has been reduced from Rs 75 to Rs 60. For properties from 1,001 sq ft to 1,500 sq ft, the fee has been reduced from Rs 100 to Rs 80.