No concessions in water tax, corporators see red over sewage management tax

KOLHAPUR: Corporators of the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation expressed their displeasure in the standing committee meeting on Friday over water bills added to the sewage management tax and sent to residents without any provision for concessions.
Independent corporator Madhukar Ramane said, "The residents are angry about excessive water bills added to the sewage management tax for the last six months.The civic administration should have intimated the residents about the addition to the sewage management tax."
The KMC had decided to impose sewage management tax from June this year, according to which the tax has been added to the water tax bills. However, consumers are getting bills with water and sewage management tax for the last six months added to the bills of October-November.
Congress corporator Sharangdhar Deshmukh said, "We were reluctant to approve the proposal for sewage management tax in the general body. However, we approved it provided the civic body implements a tax waiver scheme giving concessions in water tax. The civic administration should impose the sewage management tax, but give concessions in water tax along with it."
The KMC is implementing such a tax for the first time to compensate for treatment charges of the sewage generated and maintenance of the sewage treatment plants. The tax ranges from 10% to 35% depending upon the usage of water. The KMC would be able to rake in Rs 1.2 crore from around 96,000 household water connections.
In response to the corporators' demands, standing committee chairman Ramesh Powar said, "The issue needs to be discussed with the higher authorities. We will conduct a special meeting to resolve the matter."