Karnataka - Mysore   

Water, water everywhere...

Special Correspondent

Reservoirs are full but drinking water is in short supply in Mysore

OVERFLOWING WOES?: Despite the water-level in the Krishnaraja Sagar nearing its brim, there is no respite for residents of Mysore.

MYSORE: Major reservoirs in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka are full and have cheered the farmers. But the copious inflow into the reservoirs and the river has not brought respite to people of Mysore as most parts of the city still receive water only on alternate days.

While the irrigation department has issued flood warnings and urged the people living along the river-banks in the downstream of the Krishnaraja Sagar and the Kabini to move to safe places, the Vani Vilas Water Works, which is responsible for supplying water to Mysore, is struggling to meet the drinking water needs of the citizens.

Questions are being raised by the public as to why the city should go without daily water supply when the two reservoirs are overflowing. The Krishnaraja constituency MLA, M.K. Somashekar, conducted an inspection of the Devaraya Canal last month, and the officials and the elected representatives had announced that the "daily water supply to Mysore would be resumed within a week".

However, this is yet to materialise and most parts of Mysore, including Kuvempunagar, T.K. Layout, Janata Nagar, Vijayanagar, parts of Yadavgiri, Saraswathipuram, Bannimantap, Nazarbad, Siddarthanagar and others, continue to receive water only on alternate days. Sources in the Vani Vilas Water Works said the problem is with the distribution network, and the city is endowed with adequate water.

Uninterrupted water supply to Mysore was discontinued in summer due to annual maintenance work of the Devaraya Canal, from where the water is drawn and supplied to Mysore. However, the repair work was completed by the end of June, and the authorities had promised to ensure daily water supply by July 10.

The officials, while allaying fears over drinking water scarcity, pointed out that the estimates for implementing the Melapura II stage is ready but is awaiting Finance Department's approval. Once the project is completed, it is expected to supply 11.5 million gallons of water to the city daily.

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