Water tariff hike inevitable: Dy CM

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday indicated that a possible hike in the water tariff in the city is on the cards, as he highlighted the financial strains faced by the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

Shivakumar, who is also the Minister in charge of Bengaluru development, said that the loss-making BWSSB has been unable to take up new projects and lacks the funds to pay power bills and salaries to its employees.

This announcement follows the Karnataka government's recent hike in sales tax on fuel, which resulted in petrol and diesel prices increasing by Rs. 3 and Rs. 3.5, respectively.

“There has been a proposal to hike water prices for the past eight to nine years. We need to expand supplies, conserve, and increase the level of underground water. The population is increasing," he said.

“BWSSB is running at a loss; there is no money to pay power bills, no money to pay salaries. How can we manage things? There is no other option. We will look into it. We cannot hike tariffs for everyone; we may have to do it for some sections... no decision has been made yet on how much to hike. I will discuss it in the Cabinet and with the citizens before making a decision," he added.

According to the BWSSB, the last tariff revision was in November 2014. For a domestic water connection, Rs. 2 is charged per kilolitre, and it goes up to Rs. 45 for 50,000 kilolitres.

‘Joint power facility for civic bodies’

Citing the steep increase in electricity charges for utility companies, Shivakumar hinted at the possibility of a joint captive solar power generation facility for the BWSSB, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). “It will save a lot of money for utility companies in Bengaluru,” he said.