Calcutta, March 15: Broken pieces of earthen water pots were hurled at the Calcutta mayor today when he announced the reintroduction of water tax for residential buildings in his civic budget.

However, as reported in The Telegraph today, the mayor said those using 10mm and 15mm ferrules would be exempt from the tax, in effect leaving out 98 per cent of households.

Houses using 20mm and 25mm ferrules will be charged Rs 75 and Rs 110 a month.

Like MPs and MLAs, Cal- cutta Municipal Corporation councillors will from this year be given Rs 5 lakh every year for local area development.

The thrust of the Rs 2,437-crore budget was on the improvement of slums and development of parks and gardens.