New Delhi: Himachal Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday firmly denied claims of any 'Toilet Tax' being imposed or proposed in the state.
While speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he described these claims as baseless and cautioned against their use for political purposes. He said, "In the light of Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections, the BJP is either playing the religion card or sometimes raising the fabricated toilet tax issue. No one should attempt to politicise issues purely for political gains, especially when the allegations are far from reality."
Sukhu further pointed out that before the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections, the previous BJP government had introduced free schemes worth Rs 5,000 crore, including provisions for free water, in an attempt to win electoral success. Despite these efforts, the people voted in favour of the Congress Party, leading to its victory in the state.
In light of this, the current government has decided to rationalise the water subsidy and impose minimal charges of Rs 100 per connection per month in rural areas. The Chief Minister noted that families who can afford to pay their water bills should do so for the state's benefit.
Earlier in the day, Himachal Pradesh Jal Shakti department clarified that there is no tax imposed on commercial toilet seats in the state.
Onkar Chand Sharma, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Jal Shakti Department, Himachal Pradesh, dismissed the recent reports claiming a Rs 25 fee per toilet seat for commercial units.
He clarified that the information circulating regarding this fee is incorrect. He explained that in all urban areas, 30 per cent of water supply bills are levied as sewerage charges, and this has been standard practice. However, some confusion arose regarding commercial units, leading to a notification being issued on September 21.
The notification, which proposed a Rs 25 charge per toilet seat for commercial establishments and hotels, was promptly withdrawn on the same day following an objection raised by the Deputy Chief Minister, who is also the Minister of Water Power.
"The Himachal Pradesh government incurs significant costs, about Rs 700 to Rs 800 crore, in energy charges to supply water. Sewerage charges are part of water supply connections, and in urban areas, 30 per cent of the water bill covers these sewerage charges. A flat rate is already in place where Rs 100 is charged per connection. In some instances, commercial units were found to be obtaining independent water connections while using government-provided sewerage connections. This led to the proposal of the Rs 25 charge per toilet seat, which was swiftly revoked on the same day," he told ANI.
Sharma also highlighted that any reports suggesting a tax or fee based on the number of toilet seats are inaccurate and misleading. The Jal Shakti Department has not issued any such notification. Sewerage connections will continue to be provided as per the existing system, with the department's goal being to achieve 100 percent connectivity for improved pollution control and proper treatment of sewage.
The recent notification only addressed water charges, with no changes made to the existing sewerage policies.The department also urged the public not to believe or spread false information regarding these charges.
—ANI