MLA Nagendra tells officials to prioritise water supply to city first and then think of MUDA areas

Mysuru:  A meeting was held at the Zilla Panchayat Hall yesterday where it was decided not to hastily implement the Budgetary announcement of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB) supplying drinking water to areas falling under the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

It was decided to hold more meetings after the District Administration submits a proposal to the Government on how best the project could be implemented.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in his State Budget 2021-2022 announced that areas falling under the MUDA will be brought under the jurisdiction of KUWS&DB for better and systemic management of water supply and sewerage facilities.

The meeting on water supply was chaired by Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar where the officials were asked on the status of preparation of project report to implement the CM’s announcement. Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri told the Minister that they were in the process of preparing the project report and the same will be submitted to the Government.

Some of the areas to be included in the plan are K.H.B. Colony, S.B.M. Layout, Rajarajeshwarinagar, RMP and surrounding areas. At present, Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) supplies drinking water to the areas under its limits that come within the city. VVWW does not have the wherewithal to supply water beyond its jurisdiction.

Intervening in the discussion, MLA L. Nagendra asked the officials to ensure that water is supplied to all the three Constituencies first — Chamaraja, Narasimharaja and Krishnaraja — and only then water can be supplied to new MUDA areas. “You cannot deny water to these areas at the cost of adding more areas and asking KUWS&DB to supply water. In case the existing supply is disrupted, we will be in trouble,” he reasoned.

Rohini Sindhuri told the meeting that the city gets 312 MLD (million litres a day) water from River Cauvery and Kabini through Melapura, Belagola and Hongalli. Nagendra intervened and said that the Mysuru City Corporation had goofed up in ensuring water supply to all residents.

“The water project handed over to Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company Limited (JUSCO) ended in a fiasco and you have not been able to curb illegal connections. You have not even able to regularise connections and prevent leakage after all these years and despite funds being sanctioned. Now how will you be able to supply water to new MUDA areas under KUWS&DB,” he questioned the officers.

At this juncture, District Minister Somashekar said that it would be wiser not to hand over the MUDA areas to KUWS&DB in a hasty manner. “Let the District Administration prepare the project report first and we can discuss at the Government level first on the modalities to implement the project. Then we can call for meetings to implement the programme locally,” he suggested.

Regarding an exclusive organisation for water supply to Mysuru (Mysuru Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board) and surrounding areas on the lines of Bengaluru Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board, the Government will take a decision, Somashekar told the meeting. He asked the District Administration to submit a proposal to the Government in this regard.

MLAs K. Mahadev and Ashwin Kumar, Mayor Rukmini Madegowda, MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, ZP President Parimala Shyam, ZP CEO A.M. Yogesh, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, SP C.B. Ryshyanth, MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag, MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh and others were present.