Drivers' Union justifies price hike by water tankers
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 18 2023:
All Manipur Road Transport Drivers & Motor Workers' Union (Drivers' Union) general secretary Anil Maimom has said that none of the water tankers registered under the union is doing service for profit amidst the current water scarcity problem.
Addressing media persons at union's office, MG Avenue, here, Saturday, Anil Maimom said that the state is currently facing water scarcity problem due to absence of rainfall for some months and majority of water supply schemes of the government had stopped supplying water.
Amidst such a situation, private water tankers have been rendering service so that problem faced by the people could be eased at leastto some extent.
Private water tankers having 12,000 litres capacity each have been providing treated water to hospitals, households and other sections of the society.
These water tankers used to procure treated water from Porompat water supply scheme earlier but now procure water from Koirengei after Porompat water supply had stopped supplying water.
Due to the present token system of procuring water from Koirengei, water tankers have to wait for their turn in long queues and accordingly one tanker could operate only one trip in a day against 4/5 trips a day earlier.
As result of this, the price of one 12,000 litres capacity water tanker nowadays is Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 in Imphal Municipality areas against Rs 1,500 charged earlier and Rs 3,000 in areas beyond Imphal Municipality.
The current hike in water price is reasonable as water tankers nowadays consume more fuel in covering more distance to procure water and there is no question of tankers of earning profit from water, Anil said.
Regarding reports carried by some local dailies few days back about private water tankers hiking price of water abnormally, Anil said that the reports were unrelated with water tankers working under the union.
He also said that the union has nothing to interfere in the steps taken by transport department as per law and no attempt shall be made to malign image of the department at this present crucial time.