Increased water tariffs to manage Water Board debt crisis?

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) is currently facing a severe debt crisis similar to the economy of the country. According to the trade unions attached to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the reason behind the rising debt burden is the decision taken by the government to cut several benefits that were granted to the Water Board. General Secretary of the NWSDB Trade Union, Engineer Upali Ratnayake claimed that there were interventions from the treasury when obtaining loans for projects of the Water Board. He continued to say that at present both the treasury and the government has removed themselves from the responsibility. The General Secretary said that after the NWSDB was told to source funds for projects that debt rose to Rs. 225 billion. He said the NWSDB is currently trying to obtain loans in order to service a debt of Rs. 17 billion overdue for 2019. The trade unions warned the public that this debt leads to a possible increase in the water tariffs and selling off or privatizing the Water Board. Convenor of the Organization for the protection of consumer rights, Asela Sampath claimed that the government should divert the cabinet paper calling for the increase in the postal service allowance to parliamentarians and instead divert the money to this issue. He said that the people could not bear the debt alone adding that it calls for compromise of all parties. The convenor said that if not the various amounts that were robbed by people like Arjun Mahendran should be brought back to the country in order to settle these issues.