VIJAYAWADA: The Taxpayers’ Association (TPA) urged the State government to reduce water and drainage charges in the city, which were increased during the special officer rule in 2013. A representation in this regard was submitted to the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana recently.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, association secretary MV Anjaneyulu said, on April 1, 2013 when special officer rule was in effect in the city, a resolution was passed to increase the water and drainage charges. Earlier, Rs 80 was collected from the residents for tap connection (individual houses) and apartments were equipped with metres.
After increasing the charges, the officials linked the water charges of individual houses with property tax and the amount increased from 40 per cent to 400 per cent, he said.“For apartments, slab system is maintained by civic body officials and the water charge rate is decided based on the number of flats. Most of the water supplied to apartments by the VMC is for drinking water needs, while bore well water is used for other household purposes,” Anjaneyulu said.
Association president V Sambi Reddy appealed to the MAUD Minister to construct a check dam with five TMC capacity near Prakasam Barrage to avoid drinking water problem for the city’s suburban localities during the summer months. He further said garbage menace was troubling the residents and urged the government to find a permanent solution to the crisis.