Ahmedabad shopkeepers get Torrent’s water jolt

Shopkeepers who operate from residential-cum-commercial buildings of some co-operative societies in Satellite are being left high and dry. 

They are facing water shortage and no they aren't blaming global warming but Torrent Power for the situation.  For, Torrent Power has issued notices to 15 residential cooperative housing societies in Satellite stating that they would be charged as per the commercial rates.

The company has argued that as the cooperative housing societies are providing water to shops located in the complex, commercial rates are applicable to them.  The residential co-operative societies in turn have stopped the water supply to the shopkeepers to avoid being charged commercial rates.

Residential societies use electricity to pump water from a borewell and make it available to residents of a society. In such cases residential rates for electricity are charged from the society. The secretary of shops owners association of Rahul Tower in Satellite Jitu Patel said, "None of the 14 shops in our complex use water for commercial purpose. ‘

And so we are surprised by Torrent Power's decision."  "The shopkeepers hardly use more than 60 litre water per day. We don't see why the power company needs to charge commercial rates for this," said Patel.

Shopkeepers said that now they have to find a new source of water as the civic body has refused them water connection on the grounds that a policy of giving water supply connection to shopkeepers in residential buildings does not exist.  Nikhil Bhatt, who has a shop in Kanakkala-II in Satellite said they had to arrange for a water tanker for the 8 shops in the complex. 

Shopkeepers said that the problem would not have arisen if the power company had provided for separate meter right from the beginning.  "Torrent Power does not provide separate meters for commercial and residential purpose even when a developer asks for it," said Suresh Patel, president of Gujarat Institute of Housing and Estate Developers (GIHED).

When contacted, additional city engineer of new west zone of AMC BK Rathod said that the civic body is yet to form a policy on giving water connection to shops on an individual basis.  "We will first cater to the needs of the residential areas and then only can provide water supply to commercial establishments," said Rathod.
He also added that AMC did not provide for just a single water connection for all shops located in a complex.

"The shopkeepers need to apply for water connection on an individual basis," said Rathod. Officials of Torrent Power Ltd said that this is a regular practice.  

"The tariff for a particular complex is determined on the basis of the customer category in which the complex falls," said an official of the company. The official also said that a tariff plan is changed in case commercial establishments are found in residential complexes.