Mandya: Condemning the hike in the drinking water charges, the public here on Thursday, May 16, protested in front of the department office.
They went in a procession to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum demanding a reduction in charges.
The protestors alleged that the KWB had hiked the drinking water price from Rs 120 to Rs 282 within a month.
They said that though the district was facing acute water crisis, the board, instead of supplying adequate drinking water on time, had increased the charges.
They said, “The Karnataka Water Board is supplying water for only eight days in a month and now at an increased price. As drinking water is a basic necessity, there should not be any price hike. The officials here are giving unscientific reasons for hiking the price.”
They alleged, “The state government sanctions crores of rupees every year for drinking water purpose to the water board but the officials channelise it in the wrong directions and then burden the commoners with price hike.”
“Even though the people have not kept any bills pending, the board is claiming otherwise to justify the hike. When the previous month’s bill has still not issued to us, how can they hike the price?”, questioned the protestors.
They have warned of not paying the bills anymore, if the board continued with the hiked price.