Mysuru: At a high profile meeting held to decide the future of water supply in the city, as the Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO) term had ended, the state government has decided to handover the water supply and maintenance responsibility to Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) for the next one year.
In the meeting headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the committee decided to handover the responsibility to KUWSDB for a year and every six months the performance will be evaluated. If KUWSDB fails to perform well, the powers would be handed over to MCC.
In the previous council meeting held recently, the MCC corporators had passed the resolution to retain the powers of water supply. When CM was informed about it, he said, as MCC is already having employee scarcity and also have burden of Rs 100 crore, the sudden handover will push them to financial crisis.
City reacts
MP Prathap Simha said, “The state government has ensured that water from Mysuru is supplied to Bengaluru, why can’t they ensure water supply in city. It doesn’t matter to whom the power is given, all we need is a better water supply. In CM’s own constituency the water supply condition is terrible.”
Reacting to the decision, former mayor Shrikantaiah who also attended the meeting said, “There are nearly 60 thousand illegal connections in city. The revenue of nearly Rs 115 crore is incurring loss. KUWSDB will have the responsibility to regularise the illegal connections. His suggestion was logical and we agreed to it.”
Reacting to this decision, corporator B V Manjunath said, “according to the KMC act, the local authority is the supreme to make decision. But now CM has taken back the powers of the local authority. We are planning to question the decision in court.”
Mysore Grahak Parishat president Chandraprakash said, “We welcome this move. In fact we want to constitute an independent body so that there will be no interference of politicians or corporators. We are fighting for this change from a long time. We would welcome this move.”
Other approved projects
To construct 6 water purification units in 6 lakes of the city with an investment of Rs 40.45 crore.
All lakes of city to be developed into tourist destinations.
Waste management centres, rain water harvesting and supply development Rs 59 crore.
UGD mainatainance and machine purchase Rs 3.35 crore
Recruitment of pourakarmikas and equal salary to contract based pourakarmikas
DC and MCC commissioner gets power to sanction for the development works upto Rs 2 crore
New water storage plant in Vijayanagar with Rs 56 crore
Rs 153 crore for the Melapura second stage water supply unit
Undavadi to Mysuru water supply with an investment of Rs 545 crore
CM directs to give report of multi-storeyed parking near Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens
