K'taka govt contemplating hiking water tariff by 1 paise per litre: DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Mar 14 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the government was planning to hike the water tariff by one paise per litre, claiming that water rates in Bengaluru have not been revised since 2014.
In view of the losses, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has proposed a hike of seven to eight paise per litre, he said.
"But I have told them that 7-8 paise is too much. The government is contemplating a one-paise hike per litre. We will discuss the matter with city MLAs before making a decision," said Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio.
The minister was responding to Congress MLC Ramoji Gowda, who urged the government to expedite the supply of Cauvery water to households given the approaching summer.
"We had a difficult year last year. As many as 7,000 borewells dried up, forcing the government to take over private water tankers. We have executed the Cauvery 5th Stage project, which is providing water to 110 villages," he said.
March 22 is Water Conservation Day, and the government has decided to observe a month-long campaign to create awareness about water conservation, he added, in a statement issued by his office.
Shivakumar alleged that builders had constructed large apartment complexes but had not paid deposits to the BWSSB.
"They have taken connections illegally. We have issued notices to them," he said.
He also warned that the government would take over water tankers this summer as well.
"The water tanker business has become a mafia. We have also decided to fill all the lakes with treated water to help recharge groundwater. The Cauvery 6th Stage plan is also ready," he said.
Noting that many people were using drinking water to wash livestock and water gardens, the minister added, "Many of them are covering bare ground with concrete, which affects water absorption. We will take action on these issues. The water conservation month will help create awareness about all these concerns."
Responding to BJP MLC Keshava Prasad, who raised concerns about compensation for those displaced by the Alamatti Dam and objections raised by Maharashtra, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "I believe an all-party delegation must go to Delhi and urge the Centre to issue a Gazette notification on the third stage of the Upper Krishna project."
When MLC Nagaraj Yadav drew attention to delays in waste disposal, Shivakumar said, "Solid waste management has become a mafia. A tender was called in the past, but vendors collectively moved the court, halting all work."
He added, "The court has yet to deliver a judgment. Some MLAs are blackmailing us over garbage dumping pits—I don’t want to name them. They are demanding Rs 800 crore for their constituencies. Garbage trucks have been parked in Mahadevapura constituency for several days now, and it has become a major issue."
"We are planning to visit Indore to study their waste management model. We haven’t called for a tender, yet the Opposition is claiming I have made Rs 15,000 crore," Shivakumar stated.
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Policeman dies after being assaulted by villagers in Bihar's Munger, 4 detained
Munger (Bihar) (PTI): An assistant sub-inspector died after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of people in Bihar’s Munger district, police said on Saturday.
The deceased has been identified as ASI Santosh Kumar Singh, who was posted at Mufassil police station in Munger.
In a similar episode on Wednesday night, an ASI died after a scuffle between police personnel and a group of people in Araria district.
The latest incident took place in the Nandlalpur village under the jurisdiction of Mufassil police station on Friday evening.
“This happened when the ASI along, with other officers, had gone to Nandlalpur village to investigate a case of scuffle around 8.30 pm on Friday. He was attacked with a sharp weapon on his head by some people involved in the scuffle during the investigation.
“The ASI suffered severe injuries and was immediately taken to the nearest government hospital, and later shifted to Patna for better treatment,” Chandan Kumar, Station House Officer (SHO) of Mufassil police station, told PTI.
Singh succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a Patna hospital in the early hours of Saturday, Kumar said.
A case was registered and four persons have been detained, he said.
The incident in Araria happened in Lakshmipur area under the jurisdiction of Phulkaha police station on Wednesday night, when a police team went there to nab a person, and subsequently a brawl broke out between the personnel and those protesting the arrest, SP Anjani Kumar had said.
The deceased ASI was identified as Rajeev Ranjan.
