Industrialists of Rangreth Estate seek ‘reversal’ of water tariff hike
Srinagar: The unit-holders at Rangreth Industrial Estate on the city outskirts Thursday appealed to the government to revisit its decision of increasing water tariff, saying the decision has fallen like a virtual bombshell on small scale industry in the Union Territory.
Addressing a press conference here, vice-president of the Industrial Estate Rangreth, Syed Mustafa Masoodi said unit-holders have incurred losses worth crores of rupees ever since the Centre abrogated special constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
Masoodi said the government made many promises with them after annulment of Article 370 with regard to the progress of the Industrial Estate; however nothing has actually changed on the ground.
He said the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan visited the estate and assured unit-holders that their issues would be resolved on priority but no measures were taken to mitigate the problem facing them.
Masoodi appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority (J&K WRRA) to revisit its decision in the larger interests of the people who he said are not able to pay increased tariff.
Pertinent to mention here that J&KWRRA in its recent order has revised the water tariff for consumers in both domestic as well as commercial segments from April 2021.
“We appeal to the government to revisit its decision of increasing the water tariffs. The unit holders of Rangreth Industrial Estate also appeal the government to have pity on us as we have already suffered huge losses since 2019. The decision has shocked us, and we appeal the LG is to ease our problems as was promised,” he added.
