DHARWAD: Lack of coordination among the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB), the Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM) and the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) is the main cause for the problems in the supply of drinking water in Hubli-Dharwad.

The Deputy Commissioner, Gourav Gupta, told presspersons here on Friday that there has been a distinct improvement in the situation after the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, reviewed the situation at a meeting last month.

Mr. Gupta said that compared with the previous year, the water supply situation is much better this time. The periodicity of the supply has been brought down from once in 12 days to once in six days. What is being experienced in Hubli-Dharwad is a cumulative effect of how the situation was handled in the previous years, he said.

Mr. Gupta denied that the high-power task force, constituted by the Chief Minister at the review meeting, did not meet during the 10 days' time given by the Chief Minister. The task force had its first meeting on the very next day and Ravi Kumar, Secretary in the Urban Development Department, who is the chairman, was giving the suggestions from Bangalore, he said.

Mr. Gupta said the State Government has released Rs. 1.44 crores for taking up emergency works for meeting the drinking water needs of the twin cities and the sanction has been given to the works undertaken accordingly.

Mr. Gupta said the situation is being reviewed every day and the report is sent to the office of the Chief Minister, the Secretary, Department of Urban Development, and to the Nodal Secretary in-charge of the district.

He said water is being supplied once in six days now and there will not be any change till the Malaprabha reservoir and Neerasagar have sufficient storage.

A separate sub-division has been formed to look after the water supply problem in the rural areas forming part of the Corporation. Another separate sub-division had been formed for 10 wards where the water supply problem is serious.

While periodical power shutdowns upset the schedule, the uncertainty over the supply position has definitely been lessened, he said.

Mr. Gupta said Rs. 1.83 crores had been released for tackling the problem in the rural areas and Rs. 39 lakhs for tackling the problem in four towns. Water is being supplied through tankers in Shelavadi and Hallikeri villages of Navalgund taluk of the district, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |