Mysore/Mysuru: The Hale Unduwadi Drinking Water Project, approved in 2018, will be completed in the next six months and until then, officials must ensure an uninterrupted supply of drinking water from the Cauvery and Kabini reservoirs, said MLA G.T. Devegowda.

Presiding over a meeting with officials at the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Zone-3 Office here yesterday, Devegowda said that once the project is completed, Mysuru city and surrounding villages would receive drinking water 24X7.

Responding to the MLA, Karnataka Under Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB) Superintending Engineer Asif Iqbal Khaleel said that works on 22 overhead tanks have been completed. Seven more tanks will be completed in April and the remaining two by June.

Devegowda instructed officials to ensure drinking water supply to private layouts and to provide connectivity to overhead tanks being constructed in such layouts.

He directed officials of the MCC, local bodies and the KUWS&DB to conduct a joint survey to identify missing links and pipeline installation requirements and prepare an action plan.

Stating that a blue print must be prepared after a joint survey within the Rammanahalli Town Panchayat limits, Devegowda said this would help address the drinking water crisis in Vasanthanagar and Police Layout.

Order on Greater MCC soon

The MLA instructed officials to be prepared with details of layouts and properties falling under City Municipal Councils and Town Panchayats to be included in the Greater MCC.

He directed officials to prepare a comprehensive report on Government properties, vacant sites, schools, anganwadis, number of villages and houses, along with issues related to                                               underground drainage (UGD), drinking water supply, streetlights and burial grounds.

Devegowda said CM Siddaramaiah and Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh had assured the provision of basic amenities to Mysuru Development Authority (MDA)-developed layouts and approved private layouts handed over to local bodies.

MCC Deputy Commissioner G.S. Somashekar, Superintending Engineer R. Srinivas, MCC Zone-3 Assistant Commissioner Sandeep, Development Officer Sathyamurthy, Town Panchayat Chief Officers H.M. Suresh, H.R. Deepa, Ravikeerthi and S.M. Sanjay Kumar, BEO Prakash, CDPO Subbaiah and other officials were present.

Task Force for tax collection

The MLA instructed officials to form Task Forces to recover pending taxes. “The public should be informed to clear pending taxes, as all layouts will soon come under the City Corporation. Once included, taxes will increase,” he said, adding that pending tax arrears could create                                 hurdles during the transition to City Corporation limits.