Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Apr 29: At a meeting of the Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development (CFMD) held at Roshni Nilaya on Saturday April 28, its members decided to form a union to create awareness among the public about the demerits of privatization of the water supply project proposed by the MCC in the city.
Vidya Dinkar, eminent social activist of CFMD, said that as per the claim of MCC, which said there are technical problems to provide 24/7 water supply and lack of expertise staff and hence only PPP method would solve the distribution problem, is a baseless one. “In the initial report design submitted by Crisil (infrastructure advisory body), it was mentioned that the approximate cost of the project would be Rs 135 cr and 20 years of maintenance. It also said that every five years, the water charges will be revised by 10 percent. The ultimate pressure of the water bill will fall on the poor and middle class families,” she said.
She pointed out that the outcome of privatization of water supply in Mysore as well as in Hubli-Dharwad was unsatisfactory. She said that the MCC should consider solving its staffing problem, training, and take measures to curb water leakage instead of privatizing it.
T R Bhat, convener of the forum, said that the proposal of privatizing water supply involves a burden of Rs 25 cr as new meters need to be installed as informed by the MCC commissioner. He stressed that the public should not fall prey to the notion that privatization will solve all the existing problems.
P V Mohan, syndicate member of Mangalore University, said that the forum will meet the DC, MCC commissioner, and the MLAs, urging them to drop the plan. He pointed out that a majority of the corporators are not in favour of privatization of water supply.
Retired professor Dr Rajaram Tholpady and Mangalore University Professor Shivaram Shetty were also present.
It was decided in the meeting that hand bills will be printed listing out the demerits of privatization of water supply and circulated among the people.