The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Works at Hongalli pumping station not completed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Works at Hongalli pumping station not completed

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, JUNE 15. Concreting at the emergency pumping station near Hongalli has not been completed, raising the fear that the work cost may rise.

The work was supposed to be completed by April to begin pumping of water from the Cauvery and tide over drinking water scarcity during summer.

However, heavy rain in the Cauvery catchment area during May saved the city from a water crisis.

But now the question is who will meet the increased cost. Lakshman and Bhamy V. Shenoy, members of the Mysore Agenda Task Force (MATF), say the competent authorities had promised to complete the work, estimated at Rs. 85 lakh, by April 2004 and begin pumping of water if the storage at the Krishnaraja Sagar Reservoir fell to 68 feet during summer.

The MATF has asked the authorities concerned who will bear the increased cost.

The work on a jackwell has also been stopped for more than a month as Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. had stopped supply of power to pump water from the riverbed.

The contractor has been directed to arrange power supply himself. The work has been completed only on 15 metres or half the depth of the borewell.

The task force alleges that the authorities concerned have not carried out the medium- and short-term steps suggested by it for improving water supply.

Hence water continues to be wasted. The suggestions include reducing seepage in the canals and plugging the leaks in pipelines.

It has been pointed out that Vani Vilas Water Works here can obtain expertise from Bangalore to help plug the leaks.

Fewer than 25 per cent of the consumers here have metered water supply and the rest have illegal water connections.

Hence the MATF has called for installation of meters on a war footing. It has sought a list of consumers who have not paid their bills, but the water works and the city corporation have not furnished it.

Dr. Shenoy and Mr. Lakshman say the water works does not have an efficient management system to help supply quality water to every citizen continuously.

Some of its personnel are trainees despite putting in 10 years of service. Their monthly salary is Rs. 1,050 each.

There is no accounting system also. Unless the water works is corporatised and its management held accountable, water supply here will depend on the vagaries of Nature.

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