Apni Party decries hike in water tariff in JK

Srinagar, Aug 26: Apni Party Provincial President Mohammad Ashraf Mir on Thursday expressed his deep resentment over an arbitrary hike in water tariff across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement, Mir said the exponential increase in the water bills remains incongruous and uncalled-for at this juncture as it will further aggravate the sufferings of the people at large.
“There appears to be no end to such arbitrary edicts that are being announced on a routine basis now. The deplorable condition of the middle and downtrodden classes is not taken into consideration before framing such decrees,” Mir said.
He observed that since August 2019, the economy of J&K has witnessed an immense downward trend and the people in general are facing an unprecedented monetary constraint while the government is busy adding to their woes.
Mir asserted that people in J&K have adequate natural water resources available where the government, especially the Jal Shakti Department, has to spend very less for technical and human expenditures in order to provide safe drinking water to the people round the clock.
“In view of the current financial crunch, the government is supposed to chalk out amnesty schemes so that the people are allowed to save their frayed businesses. Unfortunately, the government seems to be adopting an impervious approach to the public woes and is adamant to add more burdens on the public shoulders,” he said.
Appealing to the Lt. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Mir urged that the recent order with regards to water hikes should be rescinded in view of the distressed economic condition of the people.