No ‘toilet tax’ in Himachal Pradesh: CM Sukhu

Shimla, Oct 4 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday denied imposition of 'toilet tax' in the state and said the BJP leaders are "politicising" the issue .

Addressing an event in Bilaspur today, BJP national president and Union health Minister J P Nadda said the Sukhu government's intellect and wisdom have become "corrupt" as tax on toilets has been imposed and such a government has no right to stay in power.

In a statement issued here, Sukhu said, "In the light of Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections, the BJP is either playing the religion card or sometimes raising the fabricated toilet tax issue.” “No one should attempt to politicise issues purely for political gains, especially when the allegations are far from reality," he said.

Sukhu said prior to the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections, the BJP government, in an attempt to woo the voters, announced several schemes including free water and opened institutions on political criteria.

Despite these measures, the people of the state voted in favour of the Congress party, he said, adding that free water was also offered to five star hotels.

The chief minister said taking note of this the present government has taken steps to rationalise the water subsidy and decided to impose minimal monthly charges of Rs 100 per in the rural areas.

On September 21, the state Jal Shakti department issued a notification regarding the imposition of Rs 25 tax per sewerage seat in urban areas besides this a tax of Rs 100 was imposed on water in rural areas. However, when the notification was sent to Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, the notification was withdrawn.

Agnihotri, in a post on social media, said it was the BJP government which imposed sewerage tax in 2018.

The government already charges 30 per cent tax of the total water bill as sewerage charges.

Additional Chief Secretary Onkar Sharma said, "It was brought to the notice that some hotels and institutions were using their own water but sewerage of government and it was decided to charge Rs 25 per seat from them but when the notification was sent to Dy CM Agnihotri for vetting, sewerage charges were withdrawn in the subsequent notification", he added. PTI