Water tariff in Bengaluru will be hiked, come what may: Deputy CM Shivakumar

BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that water tariffs in Bengaluru will be hiked at all costs. He said water tariff revision has not been done for the last 8 to 9 years.

Speaking at a programme to launch various projects of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in the forecourt of the Vidhana Soudha, including supply of Cauvery water to the newly-added 110 villages under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Deputy CM said the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board is facing losses and cannot even pay salaries of its staff or power dues.

The villages come under Bommanahalli, RR Nagar, T Dasarahalli, Byatarayanapura and Mahadevapura Assembly constituencies.

Shivakumar said the quantum of hike has not been decided, but a committee will look into it and the cabinet will take a decision. He said the water tariff will be hiked even if citizens are against it or if the opposition parties oppose the revision.

“For many years, the water tariff has not been revised. The population in Bengaluru has risen to 1.4 crore. However much we help the citizens, they won’t remember it. They will criticize and post comments on WhatsApp. Even if residents or the opposition parties are against the tariff hike, we will go ahead with it. Some people pay for the water, some others don’t”, he remarked.

His comments on citizens sparked speculation that he may be targeting them as voters elected the BJP in all five Lok Sabha in Bengaluru. He also said that the tariff will vary for different categories of consumers, but added that it has not been finalised yet.

Shivakumar also launched a rainwater harvesting awareness, Varuna Mitra training, and UN Innovation Project for Water Security in Benguluru on the occasion.