BHUBANESWAR: Water tax to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore is pending against various industries.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty, in his reply to the demand for a discussion on Water Resources Department, said while Rs 1,200 crore water tax is pending against the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), a unit of the Steel Authority of India Limited, disputes involving the balance Rs 400 crore are sub judice.
Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh raised the issue during a debate alleging that the Government was harsh on the farmers but lenient with industries who have defaulted in payment of huge water tax. He further alleged that the Government was trying waive off over Rs 9 crore water tax of Vedanta.
Amar Satpathy, NCP, sought to know from the Minister measures being contemplated by the Government to recover the huge outstanding from RSP.