GUWAHATI, May 22: Addressing a press meet in the city today, president of Guwahati Sanmilita Nagarik Adhikar Suraksha Mancha (GSNASM) Dr Hiren Gohain said that, Commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and Assam Government, without the consent and support of general public, has taken certain decisions which looks good on the surface but are actually against the interest of the public. One such decision is the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative of the drinking water scheme of the city. "The water of Bramhaputra River is our own and the government has given the right to supply this water to Guwahatians to some multi national companies. These companies will sell the water at a high rate, thereby pocketing a lot of profits for them and exploiting the Guwahatians. At a time when United Nations Organisation (UNO) has identified the water has the basic fundamental right, decision to give contract for water supply in Assam to MNCs is a violation of this international rule," Dr Gohain said. The GSNASM president further said that, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has given the contract of water supply to companies like Gamon, Luis Bergers and these companies in return will earn the cost of construction and setting pipes from the customers by selling water at a high price. “The government and the GMC has failed to properly implement the existing water supply scheme and now they have handed it over to private companies. This will hamper the public more,” Dr Gohain further added. Addressing the press meet, GSNASM Secretary Dr Akhil Ranjan Dutta the decision of the GMC Commissioner to increase the urban house tax by 600 per cent is not only unacceptable but will also affect the general public by manifolds. “Hiking the GMC house tax by 600 per cent will force many to leave the city and head towards an unknown destination. This is mainly business, in which the common general people will be exploited. The house owners will increase the hose rents and the tenants will be forced to leave Guwahati,” Dr Dutta said. The GSNASM also demanded that the notice on Urban Property Tax, issued by former GMC Commissioner GK Bhanu, should be immediately cancelled and the next elected committee of GMC should fix the GMC tax rates. The organisation further demanded the license cancellation of private companies, issued for the supply of drinking water, and the GMC should supply water according to the old rates. They also demanded for more public representatives in the water board created in 2009 and the demanded amendment in this board. GSNASM also demanded the immediate repairing of the roads, dug by the GMDA at various places of the city for the setting up of water supply pipes. GSNASM also hoped that in the up–coming GMC elections, candidates of various political parties will take a strong stand in solving the problems of the citians, primarily on the privatisation of drinking water supply and the issue of the hike in urban TAX. GSNASM also submitted a memorandum to the GMC Commissioner stating the above demands.