Bhaktapur, July 21 : A shortage of water has hit Bhaktapur after the local water supply entrepreneurs stopped work citing that Changunarayan municipality has imposed tax on water jars and bottled water produced in Bhaktapur.
Nepal Bottled Water Industry Association Bhaktapur regional committee stopped production and supply of water jars and bottled water in protest against what they say the imposition of recurrent tax on bottled water.
The entrepreneurs have become agitated after the Changunarayan municipality contracted out the tax collection to a private party.
President of Nepal Bottled Water Industry Association, Subas Bhandari, said they do not have any objection to imposition of tax on entrepreneurs producing and supplying processed water. But their concern is only over the imposition of periodic tax by contracting out the tax collection.
Stating that the entrepreneurs were ready to pay tax in lump sum to the municipality, Bhandari said but it was improper to impose’ export tax’ on water through contractor at multiple places.
Municipality mayor Som Prasad Mishra said that the municipality had been charging tax on water in the past also and insisted entrepreneurs should pay the tax as it has been decided by the Municipality Council on the recommendation of the Revenue Advisory Committee which also has a representative from the District Chamber of Commerce and Industry also.
More than 15 water processing plants have been operating at Jhaukhel of Bhaktapur. The water produced here is supplied to consumers in Bhaktapur as well as in other districts of the Kathmandu Valley.
