Dang. Dang: The Beljhundi Drinking Water Consumers and Sanitation Association in Dang has been hit by a loan to hike the tariff.

The 11th annual general meeting of the association on Saturday decided to increase the electricity bill. According to Mukesh Oli, secretary of the organization, earlier it was Rs 100 for up to 12,000 units, but now it has been increased to Rs 160.

The organization had borrowed Rs 11.5 million from Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City and Rs 68.926 million from the Town Development Fund for the co-investment. Out of this, only Rs 1,26,32,394 has been paid to the Municipal Development Fund so far. Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City has also been pressuring to pay the loanee amount. Secretary Oli said that due to this, the water tariff has to be increased.

The co-investment was done at a cost of Rs 320.6 million. The government had provided Rs 30 crore 73 lakh 65 thousand for the works carried out under the government’s joint investment project. Consumers have to pay 20 percent of it. It has become very difficult to repay the loans and loans taken for the amount that the same consumers have to pay. According to Treasurer Basanta Thapa, the annual income of drinking water is around Rs 70 lakh.

The term of the executive committee has been fixed for four years. Earlier, there was a three-year term. Chairman Pradip Gautam said that the budget has been extended to four years. On the occasion, Mayor of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City, Tikaram Khadka, said that small drinking water plants would be merged with big drinking water plants nearby. He said that the state’s investment would be properly utilized only by doing so.