The hike has hit the hardest senior citizens and retired persons. City elders recollected that during the mid-seventies, Tata Steel had installed meters in houses and charges were levied according to the reading.

But about 15 years ago, the company did away with the meters and slapped a flat rate based on the number of floors that a residence had. But on an average the monthly bill of most domestic consumers did not exceed Rs 25 to Rs 30.

Jusco managing director Sanjiv Paul maintained the company?s intention was not to swell its coffers. ?The deficit between the revenue generated from our consumers and the amount that is spent on providing quality water is huge. Tata Steel pays over Rs 30 crore annually to meet that deficit,? he said.

Most consumers feel they would have accepted the enhanced tariff had Jusco taken them into confidence and sought the approval of the government.

?We have organisations like the senior citizens? council, shopkeepers? associations and housing societies. The company could have consulted them before drawing up the revised rate chart,? said Kumar.

Miffed with the increase, urban development minister Raghubar Das has directed the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee to seek an explanation from Jusco and find out why it did not seek the government?s approval.

?There can be an increase in water rates but there must be a consensus so that consumers are not at the receiving end. How can Jusco revise the water rates without seeking permission from the government,? he said.

Paul refused to comment. ?So far we have not received any notice from any quarters of the local administration. So how can I comment,? he was all that he had to say.