SYLHET: A sudden raise in the water tariff by the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has triggered serious commotion among the city dwellers.
Consumers alleged the SCC has just doubled the tariff without any mass hearing or consultation at any level. Besides, locals were staging agitation almost every day at various wards.
The SCC mayor held an unscheduled meeting with some ward councillors who requested for a revised decision. They decided to discuss the matter at an emergency meeting.
The SCC at present supplies 55 million (5.5 crore) litres of water against the demand for 80 million litres daily through its pipeline connections. This is why the water scarcity has become a perennial problem while many of the city dwellers have to manage water from other sources. They have to spend extra money for buying water from other sources, said a number of city dwellers.
"We have connections, but do not get water supply regularly" , said Anwar Hossain of the city's Kazilota area. The SCC just has doubled the tariff while most of the middle income or poor people are in trouble amid a post-Covid crisis, he claimed.
However, the SCC officials claimed the water bill had to be raised amid a rise in the electricity tariff and other costs.
SCC Executive Engineer Ali Akbar said the city corporation has to spend Tk 10.8 million per month while the income is below Tk 5.0 million and the arrear water bill has stood at Tk 130 million.
The SCC at its meeting on June 21 decided to raise the water bill to implement from July 01. But, they made public announcement on September 02 and issued bills in October.
The circular stated half-inch dia pipeline subscribers would have to pay Tk 500 in place of Tk 200 while the commercial, institutional and government subscribers will have to pay Taka 800 in place of Tk 400.
