Residents of Himachal Pradesh will now face a new tax based on the number of toilet seats in their homes. Facing financial difficulties, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government has issued a notification to this effect.
The new regulation concerning sewerage and water bills mandates that urban homeowners will be charged Rs 25 for each toilet seat in their homes. This fee will be added to the sewerage bill and transferred to the Jal Shakti Department. According to the notification, the sewerage bill will be 30 percent of the water bill. Those who use their own water sources but rely on the government's sewerage system will still need to pay Rs 25 per toilet seat each month. Orders have already been sent to divisional officers to implement this.
Previously, no water bills were issued in the state, with the BJP promising free water if it came to power. However, the current Sukhu government has now introduced a Rs 100 monthly charge per water connection, starting from October.
Urban residents are likely to be most affected by these new charges, as homes with multiple washrooms will now incur higher fees based on the number of toilet seats.
With 5 municipal corporations, 29 municipalities, and 17 Nagar Panchayats in Himachal Pradesh, the new rules are expected to impact a significant portion of the state's approximately 10 lakh urban population.
