All industrial water users to pay cess now

摘要

All industrial uers of water, except hydel power plants, will now have to pay a water cess. The Lok Sabha passed a Bill on February 19, that proposes to extend water cess to the entire industry from the existing cover of 16 categories of high pollueters. While the rates increased to three times the prevailing ones, the legislation is aimed at reducing consumption of water, stopping indiscriminate use and curbing pollution by covering more than 70 categories of industry. The cess on domestic consumption (2 paise per kilolitre; 3 paise for excess use in violation of the Water Act) will reamin unchanged.