Withdrawal of 81 percent raise in water tariff demanded

The Pakistan Apparel Forum (PAF) has shown concern over increase of water tariff for textile industrial consumers by 81 percent, saying that rise in the utility rates would badly hit the export sector of the country. Talking to Business Recorder, PAF Chairman Muhammad Javed Bilwani said: "The exorbitant and unprecedented increase in water tariff for industrial consumers has shaken the already financially weak value-added textile sector."
He said that the increase in the water rates to the industrial consumers was unjustified by Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB). He showed fear that the sudden raise would shoot up the cost of business, which has already been soaring for the last several years.
He called it an "utter discrimination", subjecting the Karachi's manufacturing units, as the rate of water has been increased to Rs 215 per thousand gallons. He said that tariff to industrial consumers in Punjab for the same amount of water is Rs 53.
"Previously, the rate for water to the industrial consumers of Karachi was Rs 119 per thousand gallons and in Punjab it was the same Rs 53," he said, adding that fresh excessive increase in the utility price to Rs 215 was illogical, and would yield negative results to the national economy.
He said that tariff of gas, electricity, petrol and diesel to the industrial units all over the country was uniform, beside the government's fixed minimum wage for labourers. "Therefore, the price of water, which is Rs 53 in Punjab, should also be enforced in Sindh to bring the tariff to parity," the PAF chairman demanded. Bilwani demanded of the government to withdraw the 81 percent increase in water tariff by KWSB forthwith to facilitate the textile manufacturing sector of the country.