SITE Association of Industry's Chairman Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, on Wednesday urged Sindh governor and chief minister to direct Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to review its decision of increasing water tariff as the industrialists are already facing financial crunch in the wake of continuous increase in utility prices.
"KWSB's decision of increasing water tariff from September 1, 2014 for industrial consumers from Rs 187 to Rs 204 per thousand gallons without consulting stakeholders is neither justified nor ethical," he lamented. The water utility's move of raising water tariff was also a violation of Sindh chief minister's directives as the latter had asked the KWSB not to increase water tariff before taking all stakeholders into confidence.
Criticising KWSB for increasing industrial consumers' water tariff by nine per cent with effect from September 1, he said that raising water tariff from Rs 197 to Rs 204 per 1000 gallons was another blow to the industries of the city. "Isn't it unjust that the KWSB has increased water tariff by 18 per cent in just nine months," he said, adding that the water tariff were first enhanced by nine per cent in January, 2014 and again by another nine per cent in September, 2014.
Terming the KWSB move of increasing water tariff `utter discrimination' against the industries of the city, he said that such a treatment was being meted out to the industries of the metropolis which are contributing more than 50 pc taxes to the national exchequer.
Already, increasing cost of doing business was compelling industrialists to shift their industries from Karachi, he said, apprehending that such a move on the part of industrialists would, on the one hand, prove to be disastrous for the economy and, on the other, create unemployment in the city on a mass scale.
He said that it was strange that KWSB had been increasing water tariff off and on despite the fact most of the industries, due to inadequate water supply through pipelines, have been purchasing private water tankers at exorbitant rates. He demanded of the government to bring industrial consumers' water tariff at par with the water rates of other provinces of the country.