• Present 60 MLD to be augmented to 180 MLD
• Parched city’s South West areas to get water
• Urban Development Minister chairs review meeting with MUDA, MCC

Mysore/Mysuru:  In a bid to augment drinking water supplies to the many parched areas of the city including areas that come under Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), the Urban Development Department has approved the full utilisation of 180 MLD (Million Litres Per Day) of Kabini water.  This is the Phase II of the project and the Phase I has already been implemented that supplies 60 MLD water every day at present. The green signal for Phase II was given by Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj who chaired a MUDA review meeting this morning. After the meeting, the Minister reviewed the progress achieved by the MCC.

The 180 MLD project will cost Rs. 150 crore. The Minister asked the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB), the project implementing agency, to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) within a fortnight and send the same for Cabinet nod and fund release.

Over 180 MLD Kabini water is already available at Bidaragodu Jackwell, a pumping station for drawing water from Kabini River which flows close to Bidaragodu in the taluk. While pipelines have already been laid to supply 60 MLD, the same pipelines will be used to supply 180 MLD with additional pumping stations.

New localities to get water

The project is aimed at pumping water through Bidaragodu Jackwell to MUDA-formed localities and MUDA-approved private layouts in the South Western parts of the city.

As water from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam alone is not enough to meet the daily water needs of Mysuru city which is growing by leaps and bounds over the years, MUDA had planned and implemented 60 MLD Kabini drinking water project. Now, with the city growing at a rapid pace in all directions, it has become essential to utilise the full capacity of 180 MLD for which Rs. 150 crore is needed, MUDA and KUWSDB officials told the Minister.

As of now, 60 MLD water is being supplied to Kuvempunagar, J.P. Nagar, Bankers Layout, Jayanagar and surrounding areas. The Phase II can supply water to MUDA and private layouts at R.T. Nagar, Vijayanagar Fourth Stage along the Ring Road, J.P. Nagar, University Layout and surrounding areas, benefiting over one lakh houses.

Focus on MCC areas first

During the meeting, MLAs Tanveer Sait and L. Nagendra demanded that first the MCC must focus on providing water supply to city areas and then focus on the outskirts. While Nagendra said that some city areas like most of Metagalli do not get water, Sait complained that many areas in his Constituency get water only once in two days.

MP Pratap Simha urged the MCC not to hike tariff for drinking water and to waive off interest accrued on the principal amount of water tax for one-time settlement of dues. He urged the Minister for the waiver of interest on the water dues. The MP said the unpaid water bills have accrued to the tune of Rs. 219 crore, including Rs. 146 crore of principal amount and Rs. 73.6 crore interest accrued on the principal amount.

Other issues that came up for discussion included MUDA’s group housing scheme and a separate water board for Mysuru on the lines of Bengaluru where the Minister just said he would speak to the CM.

MLA S.A. Ramdas, Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, MLCs C.N. Manjegowda and K.T. Srikantegowda, MUDA Commissioner Dinesh Kumar, MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy were present at the meeting.