Increased water tariff is pouring water on drowned mouse during Covid-19

Sarmin Akter:

We simply don’t have enough information to say whether or not life could exist without water. But we know with certainty that life on Earth definitely couldn’t while water makes up 70% of Earth and 60% of our bodies.

While the condition of this country is so fragile in fighting Corona pandemic, Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) has increased water tariff for residential and commercial uses in Dhaka.According to new rate, the price of water per thousand litres has been fixed at Tk14.46 from Tk11.57 in residential sector andin commercial sector it has been jumped into Tk40 while the previous price was 37.4. In this context Taqsem A Khan, managing director of Dhaka Wasa said, “We have hiked water tariff as a means of adjusting production costs in view of the recent hike in gas and electricity prices and to balance out sales with production and distribution cost”.”There will be no negative impact on the consumers given the extent of the increases,” he added.

Later Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Tanvir Ahmed filed writ with the virtual bench as public interest litigation in order to draw utmost attention on increased water tariff issue on June 15. According to Section 22(3) of the Wasa Act 1996, the state agency can increase water tariff by 5% every year. But the tariff increased nearly 25% in domestic sectors and 9% in commercial sectors within a span of seven month in contrast  is irrational and illogical noted in the petition.

On June 22, High Court issued an injunction order restraining Dhaka wasa from collecting increased tariff until August 10. But later on June 30, Chamber Judge of Appellate Division Md Nuruzzaman passed an order to stay HC injunction. Therefore, Dhaka wasa has no bar to collect the increased water tariff.

While the world economy is facing significant crisis due to Covid-19, Bangladesh is facing the most as a least developed country. The poor especially daily wage earners and those whose incomes drift nearly poverty line are the worst sufferers.

International Labour Organisation (ILO) in its report published on May 2020 showed economic effect of Covid-19 is a ‘triple shock’ to young generations by destroying their job, disrupting their education and creating obstacles to seek or move between jobs. Dhaka-based Policy Research Institute estimated about 10.5 crore unemployment is going to be occurred in Bangladesh due to such pandemic.

According to joint survey conducted by BRAC, Data Sense and Unnayan Samannay, 10.22 crore people are at financial and economic risk. Along with this 34% family said at least one of the family members has lost their job, 74% of families witnessed a fall of their income, 14 lakh expatriate workers are returning home after losing their livelihoods. This is not the end. On top of that, corona pandemic robbed at least 22 lakh factory jobs from mid March to April according to the survey findings.

A report showed by Somoy Tv that meanwhile, around 50,000 people left Dhaka as novel corona has robbed their job and many more people will be bound to follow the same.

While this is the current situation, Dhaka wasa lacked rationality by increasing water tariff. Water tariff can be increased 5% annually but on occasions, it increases at higher rate by taking permission of its mother authority. Dhaka wasa’s move to increase tariff puts question about its justification when essential commodities prices have been decreasing because of Covid-19 outbreak.

In reaction to the increased water tariff an Adabor resident said to Somoy Tv, “ I will have to pay Tk25,000 while I used to pay Tk10,000” Furthermore, due to Covid-19 the authority inflates water bills just like electricity bills which is a significant discontented blow to the consumers.

Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President Ghulam Rahman said, “Such hike in prices of water, electricity and gas will put extra financial pressure on the lower and lower-middle income people……It will affect their standard of living as their income has not increased in line with the high cost of living”

“The government is active in giving benefits to the rich, but it is putting pressure on people of the lower range of social ladder” he added further.

Government allocated Tk50 billion stimulus package. It is welcomed by business leaders but in doubt in respect of implementation of the package. Meanwhile, government allocated budget is criticised because it lacks effectiveness to tackle the pervasiveness of Covid-19.However, along with other development the government aims to limit the inflation rate to 5.5% during this fiscal year whereas the average inflation rose to 5.61% at the end of May.Besides thisFinance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said, “Agricultural and employment creation have given priority while allocating resources for the ADP in next fiscal year”.

That means unemployment problem will not come into light during the current fiscal year.Where there is no unemployment benefit schemes, no house rent assistances, no measures to stop price hike, wasa’s move is pouring water to drowned mouse.

However, we expectational approach from wasa in question of fixing water tariff. Besides this, we hope the government and concerned authority will take appropriate  measures to sensibly handle all damaged sectors.

Sarmin Akter: LL.M student; Jagannath University