With sources going dry, water suppliers hike prices
MADURAI: Water tanker suppliers who supply regularly to residential areas in the city have been forced to increase the rates for each load, as most of the water sources have dried up already due to the scorching summer heat. With most of the borewells inside the city limits have dried up, the non-potable water has been supplied by the private tanker trucks.
The truck operators depend on private wells - big agricultural wells on the outskirts - at Kadachanenthal, Oomachikulam and Kochadai areas. Around 100 truck operators are catering the non-potable water needs of the city in a day with more than 200 trips. However, finding water has turned laborious and the price hike has become inevitable, the truck operators say. Based on the distance from these water sources, the truck operators have hiked the prices from Rs 50 to 200. A 2,000 litre load is priced somewhere from Rs 250 to 350; 4000 litre load between Rs 450 and 500 and 6,000 litre load from Rs 700 to 900. Last year, the price per load did not exceed Rs 700 including the bigger tanker trucks which can supply 12,000 litres. With the present rates, 12,000 litres load can be availed only if the customer is ready to shell out Rs 1,200 and more.
K Muthumurugan, a truck operator says that though the demand for water is increasing day by day, finding it has become difficult. "The regular wells we used to fetch water from Kochadai area are drying up and some of them were known to be perennial water sources till last year. We have to wait for hours to get a tanker load of water," he explained. A Alagar, another tanker operator who ferries water from Ooamchikulam area says that they have to hike prices due to the rise in operating costs. "The farm owners have increased the prices per load and we need to travel farther places looking out for water now," he said.
M Ilangovan from Anna Nagar says that the demand for water is so high that the truck operators supply for the highest bidder. "If we bargain on prices, the truck operators are ready to move out looking out for better prices. We end up paying the money they demand. I paid Rs 750 per 6,000 litre load recently which was priced somewhere at Rs 450 last year," he stated.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/With-sources-going-dry-water-suppliers-hike-prices/articleshow/32693773.cms
The truck operators depend on private wells - big agricultural wells on the outskirts - at Kadachanenthal, Oomachikulam and Kochadai areas. Around 100 truck operators are catering the non-potable water needs of the city in a day with more than 200 trips. However, finding water has turned laborious and the price hike has become inevitable, the truck operators say. Based on the distance from these water sources, the truck operators have hiked the prices from Rs 50 to 200. A 2,000 litre load is priced somewhere from Rs 250 to 350; 4000 litre load between Rs 450 and 500 and 6,000 litre load from Rs 700 to 900. Last year, the price per load did not exceed Rs 700 including the bigger tanker trucks which can supply 12,000 litres. With the present rates, 12,000 litres load can be availed only if the customer is ready to shell out Rs 1,200 and more.
K Muthumurugan, a truck operator says that though the demand for water is increasing day by day, finding it has become difficult. "The regular wells we used to fetch water from Kochadai area are drying up and some of them were known to be perennial water sources till last year. We have to wait for hours to get a tanker load of water," he explained. A Alagar, another tanker operator who ferries water from Ooamchikulam area says that they have to hike prices due to the rise in operating costs. "The farm owners have increased the prices per load and we need to travel farther places looking out for water now," he said.
M Ilangovan from Anna Nagar says that the demand for water is so high that the truck operators supply for the highest bidder. "If we bargain on prices, the truck operators are ready to move out looking out for better prices. We end up paying the money they demand. I paid Rs 750 per 6,000 litre load recently which was priced somewhere at Rs 450 last year," he stated.
Read More Here - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/With-sources-going-dry-water-suppliers-hike-prices/articleshow/32693773.cms