I won’t agree to a water tax: Dinesh

ANTON Monday, 22 October 2012 11:22 AM

What he agrees is taxing ground water coming through water pipes.

Reply 0       2

Mifras Monday, 22 October 2012 08:46 AM

Lot of drama these day..... We are so tired;

Reply 2       11

Shan Monday, 22 October 2012 08:57 AM

Un-plug World Bank & International Monetary Fund. Their advices are for their benefit only.

Reply 1       10

anura Monday, 22 October 2012 08:56 AM

We the voters too won't agree such a senseless act by the govt. Go ahead and we will dump them in the Well and pay urinating tax instead.

Reply 2       9

kuhan Monday, 22 October 2012 09:13 AM

Finally you will agree ,otherwise you can't be Minister Dinseh Gunawardene

Reply 3       10

Janaki Kalansuriya Monday, 22 October 2012 09:21 AM

Leaving aside politics, I think the quickly drying up water catchments and reservoirs are an indication of lowering water tables globally. Australia has a strangle hold on domestic bore water users with restrictions and excesses being punishable by law. A very educated politician recently remarked that tube wells were going to be set up to fill tanks and water holes for wild animals' use.
Some control on politician thinking and unlimited tapping of ground water are a necessity. So Mr. Gune, do some research and use your brain before engaging mouth.

Reply 2       11

Rif Monday, 22 October 2012 09:53 AM

world 1st state for "well tax " from poor people

Reply 2       9

manju Monday, 22 October 2012 09:44 AM

Suba anagathayak

Reply 3       7

gamaya Monday, 22 October 2012 10:27 AM

You are good in issuing statements.......... but when it comes for voting WE KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN........

Reply 0       8

lk Monday, 22 October 2012 10:33 AM

you wouldnt lift the hand, but others will.

Reply 1       6

Al Rasa Monday, 22 October 2012 08:21 AM

Now it is high time to think of Water Management system as resource of water is fast declining due to environment pollution
done and very haphazard human settlement.

Reply 6       1

SL Expat Monday, 22 October 2012 11:23 AM

Well said, we are with you...

Reply 1       5

A W Abdulkany Monday, 22 October 2012 03:25 PM

There have been hundreds of water wars have taken place in the world, thousands of people have lost their lives, even in our neighboring country - India. As natural rights, water rights are usufructuary rights; water can be used but owned, People have a right to life and the resources that sustain it, such as water. The necessity of water to life is why, under customary laws, the right has been accepted as a natural , social fact. The Govt cannot owned the water to tax it. Minister we salute for your stand.

Reply 0       4

Omattage Perera Tuesday, 23 October 2012 04:36 AM

This is a joke...

A govt minister is just sabrerattling... just to save his face.

We had a Minister (Ananda Tissa de Alwis) in 1977 Govt. saying a similar thing when the Water meters were introduced in his electorate.

When will Sri Lanka politicians stop themselves being jokers, especially in public and on record?

Reply 0       0

xlntgson Tuesday, 23 October 2012 05:57 AM

Purification of water is by exposure to sunlight and by natural pond ecology. They closed them reclaimed for land needs. The water tax is there with local taxes, meters do aggravate it. If you are true to your concern of depletion of water tables, you can ban all tube wells. You can sell water if only you can fuse H a molecule and O two, without a bang! Try.

Reply 0       0

Ravi C Sam Tuesday, 23 October 2012 07:13 AM

It is too early to bring in this tax. The country's debt must surpass Rs.5 Trillion. Country is heading towards that goals and very soon it may reach that point.

Whether people like it or not once caught up in the debt trap everything will have to be tax.

Find a way out to reduce the debt from somewhere around Rs. 3 Trillion to at least Rs. 1 Trillion. So it is over to you.

Reply 0       0

Sarath N Silva Monday, 22 October 2012 07:17 AM

You are about to loose your ministry Mister Gunawardana

Reply 3       7

buffaloa citizen Monday, 22 October 2012 06:29 AM

If it is unfair, then you should resign on principle, but do you have the guts to do it. In parliament you will not raise your hand.

Reply 81       69

Matalan Monday, 22 October 2012 06:31 AM

Correct! But what next? Sun tax, breathing air tax, roof tax, pedestrian tax, vote tax? Who can blame boating out to Australia?

Reply 58       106

B.B. Marasingha Monday, 22 October 2012 06:38 AM

Well Said. We remember you opposed fixing of water meters then with Bahu,Wasu.

Reply 1       14

MWTA Monday, 22 October 2012 06:58 AM

No proper management at NWSDB. They are wasting money. Ultimately they are taxing innocent people. Very soon they will charge even a "wash room" tax.

Reply 44       57

Imran Hussein Monday, 22 October 2012 06:48 AM

After Weerawanse's show now this con artist. I think people getting bored with too many comics.

Reply 3       26

Tommie Monday, 22 October 2012 07:00 AM

Before taxing the wells, please provide pipe water to the villages!

Reply 1       19

Jonny Monday, 22 October 2012 07:24 AM

It's good Tax. otherwise people waste water. Increase the train fairs and give us a better ,Luxurious service.

Reply 20       2

DrMentor Monday, 22 October 2012 06:37 AM

Soon they will add a Kitchen tax also for using my own Kitchen. Clearly these guys show sheer incompetence in governance. I have no idea when masses wake up

Reply 49       85

silva Monday, 22 October 2012 07:29 AM

This minister will never resign. He will make a big noise and then shut up.

Reply 3       16

MJ Monday, 22 October 2012 07:28 AM

I know you won't agree but you can't stop it as you people are spineless ministers who have no power to stop anything...

Reply 3       11

true sri lankan Monday, 22 October 2012 07:35 AM

Its only a statement, Will you take action as a minister?

Reply 4       14

mamath Monday, 22 October 2012 07:37 AM

Yes sir..we remember how you all were against UNP's so called Water Management

Reply 5       10

Gadzooks Monday, 22 October 2012 07:40 AM

What about those of us who have existing wells?

Reply 1       9

Rohan Monday, 22 October 2012 07:42 AM

I have a well on my estate. The ground under the well belongs to me. Hence the water is also mine. Why should I pay a tax ?
Next is they will start taxing the air we breath.

Reply 0       18

Vernon Monday, 22 October 2012 07:52 AM

Water supply to consumers after purification is one thing and water resources is another matter. Proper management of water resources is important, if not we will not have resources to distribute to consumers. Whether management of water resources could be achieved by mere taxation is debatable. This principle of regulating water resources came sometime back also, but was shelved due to various objections. The need and objective of water tax should be clearly explained, then only we can comment about it objectively.

Reply 2       12

SudhuPancha Monday, 22 October 2012 08:20 AM

sorry buddy, ure hands are tied!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply 3       6

Arun Monday, 22 October 2012 08:30 AM

They should introduce the following taxes. 1 Spouse Tax. 2. Denim tax. 3 Short skirt tax. etc etc

Reply 3       11