The Hindu : Karnataka / Mangalore News : Corporators want another vented dam, officials say no

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 28, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mangalore

Corporators want another vented dam, officials say no

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE, JAN. 27. It was a revolt of sorts by the corporators against Mangalore City Corporation officials at a special review meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded infrastructure development programme here on Thursday. The Mayor, Purandaradasa Kulur, adjourned the meeting abruptly and walked into his chambers.

The Mayor's decision surprised the corporation officials and the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (KUIDFC). Mr. Kulur said he was left with no option as the cold war between the officials of the corporation and the KUIDFC had reached a flashpoint.

What triggered the stand-off was the question of constructing and additional vented dam across the Nethravati to provide water to the city.

The corporation council expressed its resentment against the KUIDFC for not agreeing to build an additional vented dam as per the original plan.

A letter from the KUIDFC indicated that it is bound by the contract to only repair the existing vented dam at a cost of Rs. 5 crores.

Even as the review meeting started, Diwakar (former Mayor) and Mahabala Maarla of the Congress wanted to raise the issue and urged the Mayor to ask the KUIDFC to clarify the issue.

After getting an explanation from the engineers of the KUIDFC, the corporation council decided that the KUIDFC will not take up construction of a new vented dam and the Mayor ordered that work on water supply scheme taken up by the KUIDFC, including the laying of pipelines for the distribution network, should be stopped. He said he is disturbed by the indifference of the KUIDFC in sticking to the original schedule and he will go to Bangalore to meet the Urban Development Minister, S.R. Morey, on February 2 on this issue.

The BJP corporators said Mangalore should have the pipeline and the dam. They said drinking water augmentation and distribution work has been allocated Rs. 120 crores under the line estimate but since the city needed another vented dam, Rs. 90 crores should be set apart for the pipeline and Rs. 30 crores for the dam.

But the KUIDFC Chief Engineer, A. Pasha, said Rs. 120 crores will not be fully available for the drinking water programme as some of the existing installations need repair. About 30 per cent of Rs. 120 crores will be spent for peripheral works under the same account head.

Mr. Kulur told presspersons that he will not chair any meeting pertaining to the scheme implemented by the KUIDFC.

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