After the blow from the price hikes of diesel, LPG and milk, the district is set to witness yet another jolt with the Ernakulam district drinking water transporters welfare association deciding to hike the price of water.
It was the diesel price hike that prompted the distributors to increase the price of water supplied through tanker lorries, say the association officials.
The hike will make people pay an additional Rs 100 to Rs 500 for every 6,000 litres of water. According to the new price list, Cherthala area will have to pay the most for water (Rs 2,500 for 6,000 litres), while it will be cheapest in Manjali (Rs 700) and the Kakkanad, Infopark, Kalamassery and Edappally bypass areas (Rs 750).
An average family needs a minimum of 1,000 litres of water every day, which means people will have to pay an additional Rs 16 to Rs 83 per day.
The decision to hike the price was fully autonomous, as the association did not contact either the Kochi corporation or the district administration regarding this.
Mayor Tony Chammany said that the hike would not be applicable in the city area, as there already was a contract with the water distributors regarding the price of water.
“It was two-and-a-half years ago that we last revised the water prices,” said A. Ibrahim, general secretary of the drinking water transporters welfare association.
“The price of diesel was hiked several times in the last two years. Electricity charges, insurance, tax and prices of spare parts and tyres were also increased. We are left with no option but to increase the price of water,” he added.
V.A. Sakkir Hussain, the president of the association, said the tankers owners also had to increase the salary of drivers, which forced them to hike the price.