The Left parties alleged that the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) was treating the water supply as a money spinner.
The CPI and CPI(M) conducted a signature campaign against water meters and tariff hike near NTR circle here on Thursday. On the occasion, CPI city secretary Donepudi Sankar and CPI (M) city secretary Ch. Babu Rao pointed that the Corporation was under special officer rule for the last two and half years. Though elections have to be conducted within six months after the expiry of the council term, the government was dilly dallying the matter. The Corporation under the special rule was taking the decisions which were burden on the people. The decision to hike water charges was one of the major anti-people decisions, they felt.
The people were already overburdened with heavy taxes and steep rise in prices of essential commodities. The Corporation, at this juncture, was poised to hike the water tariff much to the agony of the people. The State government has wicked plans to introduce water meters and loot the people at its will. The government has already hiked the power charges and LPG gas charges, they pointed out.
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It was unfortunate that the VMC was planning to introduce a single tariff of Rs. 175 to every category. Lakhs of poor would suffer if the Rs. 50 category was withdrawn. The Corporation instead of augmenting the water supply for ensuing summer, has chalked out plans to increase the tariff.