WASA appeals for stay on HC order that bans price hike

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority's (Wasa) has filed a petition seeking stay on the High Court (HC) order that issued injunction on its decision of hiking water price by 25 percent from April 1 this year.

The petition was filed with the Chamber Judge Court of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday afternoon. The court may hear the petition on Tuesday.

WASA chief lawyer Attorney General Mahbube Alam confirmed the development.

Earlier on the day, an online HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim stayed the notification after hearing a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Tanvir Ahmed.

The public interest litigation had challenged the legality of increasing the tariff without providing service.

The WASA in an advertisement set water tariff for each unit (1,000 liters) of water supplied to household in capital at Tk 14.46 instead of the previous tariff of Tk 11.57.

The tariff on water supply for commercial users had been increased to Tk 40 from Tk 37.04.

The WASA said that it had increased water tariff from April 1 to adjust production cost and recent hike of prices of gas and electricity.


Dhaka/Mahidi/AKA