A total of 129 companies, including Government firms, have not deposited water tax of \\Rs6,169.732 crore with the Government during last 15 years. It was revealed through RTI information sought by a group of activists. Talking to reporters here on Saturday, activists said 129 companies have looted the State by not paying huge sum of water tax during last 15 years. They alleged that the State Government has assisted them and provided all support to loot the State exchequer by not taking a single step to collect the water tax from them.
On the other hand, the activists said, the Government has gone to the extent of approaching them to get some lakh for the Aahar scheme at the cost of interest of millions of people. RTI activist Pradip Pradhan said that only 13 companies have challenged water tax fixed by the Government in court. “Now the question comes why the Government has not collected water tax from rest of the companies,” he asked. Pradhan said the lingering of the cases in court since 2000 is due to a nexus and secret understanding of the Government, corrupt bureaucracy and the companies which has given a golden opportunity to the companies to continue to draw water without depositing a single pie.