LUCKNOW, July 12 -- 'Irregular' bills and rising water and sewer taxes allegedly calculated on commercial parameters based on annual rental value (ARV) of the land, where these institutions are situated, have pushed government-aided secondary schools across the city to a massive financial crisis. Many of these old schools situated in prime areas are also being allegedly charged electricity bills at commercial rates - something that Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration (LESA) denies. Rita Tandon, principal of Bhartiya Balika Vidyalaya Inter-College, claimed that her institution regularly cleared its water and sewer dues until the 2014-15 financial year, after which the bills became highly erratic. A recent notice shocked the school administration, demanding Rs 10.20 lakh in cumulative arrears. Pointing out the inequality between the schools' earning capacities and their expenditure mandates, Tandon noted that aided institutions are legally bound to provide free education up to Class 8 and are only permitted to charge a nominal fee of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per student annually for Classes 9 to 12. On inquiring, school authorities found that the water and sewer taxes are calculated based on the annual rental value of the property. Compounding their woes, electricity is billed at commercial rates, leaving the school with a Rs 25,000 bill last month alone. Divya Srivastava, principal of Dayanand Inter College, claimed that her school spends nearly Rs 50,000 annually on water and sewer taxes, while monthly electricity bills fluctuate between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000 depending on seasonal demands. Srivastava emphasised that limited funds directly impact infrastructural upkeep, triggering a vicious cycle of falling student enrolments. "While some institutions like ours with good enrolment managed to renovate their infrastructure through the state's 'Project Alankaar' scheme, many struggling schools remain disqualified due to strict policy caps requiring a minimum enrolment of 300 students and a mandate for the school management to clear 25 percent of the total renovation cost," Srivastava said. UP Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh has warned of statewide protests if the government fails to intervene and give subsidy or completely waive these dues, claiming that it was done for government inter colleges a few years back. RP Mishra, spokesperson for UP Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh, highlighted that under the government-regulated fee structure, an aided school can only charge a meagre Rs 20 per month from students under the 'fan' head. "Many schools rely on their own borewells but are still slapped with heavy water taxes. The union has demanded that aided schools be given complete waivers or heavy subsidies on par with government inter-colleges," said Mishra. Ravi Agarwal, chief engineer, LESA, claimed that the power bills for educational institutes are already charged under domestic tariff rates. "Any move towards a complete waiver can only be approved by the state government," Agarwal said. Meanwhile, a senior Jalkal (water works) official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the department merely acts as a collection agency, calculating water and sewer taxes directly from the ARV assessed and revised by the municipal body's tax department....