President suspends the 30% increase in water tariff
In the cabinet meeting held on the 15th instant the President Maithripala Sirisena had urged the Minister of Town Planning ans Water Supply Rauff Hakeem to immediately suspend the proposed increase in the 30 per cent increase in tariff for water bills.
The President had said he is not in agreement at all to this increase in the tariff.It is said that after
the notification of this gazette notification there had been several views and protests.He had discussed at length on this issue.The Minister Rauff Hakeem in retaliation had added that for the production of one unit of pure drinking water it costs a lot of money with the increased costs and for the salaries and bonus payments of over ten thousand employees a high cost has to be incurred.
The Minister had further said that his opinion the water bills need to be increased but not by a 30 per cent margin.
He had added that when increasing the tariffs every area need to be studied and a report should be presented to the cabinet.Hence a sub committee has to be appointed where the chairman should be the Minister in charge of it.