Samajwadi Party leaders up in arms against Varanasi Municipal Corporation

VARANASI: Samajwadi Party leaders have opposed Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) decision to disconnect water supply and attach property of water, sewage bill defaulters. Senior party leaders led by Shatrudra Prakash submitted a memorandum to municipal commissioner RP Singh in this regard.
The leaders alleged that notices served by general manager (GM), Jal Kal department, was illegal.They said that the Varanasi Jal Sansthan was brought under VMC as jal kal department in 1999 by the state government under Section 100-A of the UP Water Supply and Sewage System Act 1975. Hence, the right to collect all dues related to house and water taxes rests with the VMC, they claimed.
It was also brought to notice of the municipal commissioner that the right to revise the rate of water and sewage tax rested with the VMC under the provision of UP Municipal Corporation Act 1959. A demand was put before the municipal commissioner by the leaders to declare all such notices issued by Jal Kal GM as null and void.
Municipal commisioner RP Singh, when contacted said, “As municipal commissioner I can delegate my power to issue notice to any competent authority. But to eliminate any confusion regarding this, higher authorities are being consulted. No notices will be implemented till all doubts are clarified.''
Party leaders also alleged that accurate records of the posting of bills of previous payments of water and sewage tax by consumers were not maintained by the jal kal department and arbitrary amounts were being fixed as dues. They also condemned the fact that the department failed miserably in improving the civic amenities in the city. Many areas were being supplied with contaminated water and were witnessing pathetic sewage condition.