The State government’s notification of a 5 percent hike in water tariff from October 1 and thereafter a yearly increase beginning at each financial year comes as a mild shock and exposes the political intentions behind not effecting a hike last year. PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral clarifies that the price rise will not impact those benefiting from the free water scheme. The government may have the math ready to justify the hike, but some questions would need answers and clarity.
If yearly tariff revision is urgent, what prompted the government to hold back the exercise last year after initially toying with it? Was it in the overall interest of the people battling a pandemic? Or was it frozen only because of an adverse impact ahead of the electoral season?
Last year, the State government floated a scheme in the run-up to assembly elections that up to 16,000 litres per month will be provided free of cost from September 2021. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, under immense pressure due to the guarantees of free water and power by the Aam Aadmi Party, had no choice but to announce the free water scheme, which he did on Independence Day. But, in retrospect, the government only created a feel-good factor and avoided possible electoral damage at the hustings.
The government appears to convey that the tariff hike is inevitable every year, conscious that the common man is under stress due to rising inflation and cost of living. Even a small hike is going to hurt at this stage. Moreover, there is nothing to suggest that the water supply in the State has improved since last year. Large areas continue to face water disruptions running into days as citizens grapple with everyday life, relying on alternate sources of supply. Supply systems are constantly in a state of repair or upgrade, leading to restricted supply to large areas, including talukas.
Even a small hike could affect living when joblessness is high and everyday citizens don’t have the spending power. Moreover, the constant rise in LPG cylinder prices and other essentials weigh heavily on people. A sensible government should work out ways to alleviate the suffering of people rather than adding to their misery. That those in the free water scheme group will not be affected is hardly any reason to justify the decision because even by Sawant’s figures, 40 percent of the population doesn’t come under the scope of the freebie.
The Goa government has tried to position itself as a people-centric welfare-oriented one, and the milestones it is claiming in being the first State to provide free water or the “Har Ghar Jal” certification is to reinforce that image. The reality differs regarding milestones and the welfare brought in. Therefore, understanding the gravity of the decision, the sensitivity of the situation, and the impact it would have on people’s lives is paramount.
