Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Parts of Hubli-Dharwad to get 24-hour water supply soon

Staff Correspondent

Project implemented in eight wards after laying leak-proof pipes

A DREAM PROJECT: Work in progress on 24-hour water supply scheme in Hubli-Dharwad on Monday

DHARWAD: Round-the-clock water supply pilot project being taken up under the World Bank-funded Karnataka Urban Water Sector Improvement Project (KUWASIP) in eight wards of Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation is likely to be completed by mid-September.

H.P. Shellikeri, Regional Office Adviser to Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), and S.A. Mathad, Joint Commissioner, Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), told presspersons here on Monday that when completed the pilot project, taken up at a cost of Rs. 18.11 crore, would provide round-the-clock water supply to 82,337 people.

Mr. Shellikeri said along with Hubli-Dharwad, similar pilot projects were under way in Belgaum and Gulbarga at a cost of Rs. 14.90 crore and Rs. 8.99 crore respectively.

The investment in the priority sector of these two cities was Rs. 33.16 crore and Rs. 45.38 crore respectively, he said.

23-km pipeline

In Hubli-Dharwad, under priority investment, Rs. 38.62 crore was being spent for various works, the major work being that of laying pipeline for 23 km from Amminbhavi water purification unit to the reservoir at Nrupatunga Hill. Already 10 km of pipeline had been laid between Amminbhavi and Nrupatunga Hill, he said.

Mr. Shellikeri said under the pilot project, 16 km of pipeline had been laid out of 35 km planned.

Under the quick fix work, 9 km of ductile iron pipeline had been laid, he said.

To a question, Mr. Mathad said the authority of fixing and revising appropriate water tariff in the wards under the pilot project rested with the corporation and no property related to the water supply system had been transferred to any private company or person.

He said it was not a move to privatise water supply. The implementing agency would be operating and maintaining the system for two years after which it would be handed over to the government agency concerned.

To another question, Mr. Shellikeri said under the pilot project, poor families would be supplied water at subsidised rates.

And based on the quantum of use, the consumer had to pay according to the tariff fixed by the corporation, he said.

Prakash Alagawadi, Zonal Manager of Campagnie Generale Des Eaux, said the company was executing the project. High-density polyethylene (HDP) pipes were used and for ensuring that there were no leaks, various tests were being conducted. And only after confirming that the set up was foolproof, the water supply would start, he said.

A team of presspersons was taken to a field visit to show the work in progress and advanced instruments being used to lay the pipeline and nature of tests conducted.

S.L. Koshti, Superintending Engineer of the corporation; K.K. Krishnamurthy, Executive Engineer of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB); Ashok Madyal, Assistant Executive Engineer (KUWS&DB); and M.K. Mangonda of Project Implementing Unit were present.

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