Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 7 (UNI) As the Kerala Water Supply Sewerage Act-1986 was inadequate to check the misuse and illegal tapping of drinking water, the state government was taking measures to amend it, Water Resources minister N K Premachandran told the Assembly today.

Replying to questions by Mr P C Vishnunath (Cong) and others, he said effective clauses, including imprisonment, would be added to the legislation while amending the Act to check the misuse and illegal tapping of drinking water effectively.

Mr Premachandran said the fine for misusing water was very meagre and also no clauses had been included in the existing Act to take stern action against the culprits.

Hinting that the government was planning to hike the water tax to industrial consumers, the Minister said since 1999 there was a proposal before the government for hiking the water tax.

However, he clarified that the hike would not affected the common man in any way. No constructive decision had been taken so far in this regard, he added.

Mr Premachandran disclosed that because of outdated pipes, an estimated 35 per cent transmission loss occurred to the Kerala Water Authority.

The state government would not disconnect the public taps and the respective civic bodies would have the right to fix the number of public taps according to its requirement, he added.

He also stated that the government was seriously considering to amend the Act for sustaining the water resources in the state.

UNI