The residents of holy city Anandpur Sahib are likely to get relief from the high-paying water bills.Punjab’s Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that the issue of staggering water bills was taken up with CM Bhagwant Mann during his visit to the area on Wednesday.Mann, who was in Anandpur Sahib to start his Sukhrana Yatra, assured that he would reduce the water bills for residents of the city.The state government had exempted water bills of all houses, measuring less than 5 marlas. Besides, in most cities, people were getting water bills at Rs 50 per month.However, in Anandpur Sahib, the residents have not been provided with subsidy and are paying water bills ranging between Rs 300 to Rs 1000 per month. Adding to the high costs, an additional 10 per cent increase on these bills annually has impacted residents.They allege that despite repeated requests to various ministers and to the district administration, there has been no respite.Hoping that their matter will be heard, the residents of Anandpur Sahib, on the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, submitted a memorandum to the CM.Sources told The Tribune that water supply in the city was being maintained by the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board.Water supply services in only four Punjab cities, Anandpur Sahib, Muktsar, Bathinda and Fatehgarh Sahib, are managed by the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, while local municipal councils handle water supply in the remaining cities. Municipal councils have provided subsidised water bills to residents in line with the Punjab government’s policy. However, the board, which relies on revenue generated through consumer bill payments, has not implemented similar reductions in water charges under the government policy.Former president of the Anandpur Sahib municipal council, Harjeet Singh Jeeta, said that unlike other cities in Punjab, the water supply here is managed by the water board and so, they cannot decide the water bills’ costs.