Chandigarh sector welfare body marches to MC office against water tariff hike
They were joined by the supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress
Members of the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC) marched from the Sector 17 Plaza to the office of the municipal corporation in Sector 17 on Monday morning in protest against the proposed 200% hike in water charges.
They were joined by the supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, as well as councillors Devinder Singh Babla, Gurbax Rawat and Rajinder Kaur Gujral.
Before the march, FOSWAC along with trader bodies such as Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) had collected at the Plaza to discuss why the hike wasn’t justified.
FOSWAC general secretary JS Gogia said, “Despite providing no additional benefits, the water price is being hiked, which is not justified. Rather, the MC should sort out the old pipes first and fix leaks before charging more taxes.”
FOSWAC chairman Baljinder Bittu added, “An average person is paying 60% of his income in the form of various taxes already. The city has a huge population of retired pensioners, which the MC should take into account.”
Bittu said MC elections were scheduled for next year and the people will remember this decision, adding that more protests will be organised if their demands were not accepted.
Devinder Singh Babla, MC’s leader of opposition, spoke about how the people in power were neglecting the demands of the people.
Police were deployed in large numbers at the site of the protest, however, social distancing was not maintained. Many protesters could also be seen wearing masks improperly or not all. Nobody was booked.