Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation seek public opinion on water meter

After putting on hold the water policy 16 days ago, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) standing committee realized that prior to implementing such an important policy, it should seek public opinion - as any democratic process would demand. This would mean that the policy, with its suggestions on proposed water meter installation charges, water supply rates, should have ideally been posted on public forum or a website to invite suggestions and objections.

For this the AMC has now decided to engage a special advocate panel to scrutinize every clause of the policy before it goes before the public. "The process would take some time before the standing committee brings the water policy aboard," said a senior AMC official.

"If town planning schemes are put in public domain for inviting suggestions and objections, why should not a policy such as water metering be put in public forum? A municipal corporation is a democratic body and the committee members realized that it would be vital that public opinion be sought. For now the advocates are sprucing up the policy so that there are lesser objections," explained the official.

Another interesting aspect to the policy is that that the BJP-led AMC after eyeing the civic body elections next year will avoid any controversy over the proposed policy. Two weeks ago, AMC had placed a concept paper on the new water metering and tariff policy for more than 13 lakh properties in the city before the standing committee.

In the case of residential societies, according to the policy, it will now be compulsory for every house in a society to install a meter to check wastage and usage of water. Under this policy a payment limit was set for fixed usage of up to 20,000 litres a month and a fixed rate that ranged between Rs 240 to Rs 2,880 depending on the carpet area of the property. Any extra usage will be charged at rates per 1,000 litres of supply. This rate ranges from Rs 1 for properties with a carpet area of up to 15 square metres, and at Rs 12 for properties with a carpet area of more than 1,000 square metres.

The AMC had earlier announced the installation of water meters in areas of Jodhpur, Navrangpura, Stadium and Juna Vadaj on a pilot basis to study water usage, and then planned to extend metering to the entire city. The proposal says that the AMC incurs a cost of Rs 6.05 per 1,000 litres for treating and supplying water to citizens and charges 68 paise per 1,000 litres, according to the present taxation structure. -TOI