Bangaloreans Beware: No proposal to Hike Water Tariff in Other ULBs
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, April 21: After the steep hike in Nandini milk prices ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 4 a litre, Bangaloreans are in for another shock in the form of hike in water tariff by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
An indication to this effect was given by Karnataka’s Urban Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar, a close confidant of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
In an interaction with the media representatives in Bangalore on Wednesday, the minister declared that the state government had no plans to increase in drinking water tariff in urban local bodies (ULBs) and City Corporations, except Bangalore.
Of course, the ruling BJP can afford to disregard the plight of Bangaloreans already reeling under higher prices for petroleum products since the last several years on account of the cess on Bangalore Metro and infrastructure projects as the prestigious elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has just been completed and BJP has won a clear majority by winning 111 out of the total of 198 seats for the first time in the history of the civic body.
The government was not considering any proposal to hike drinking water tariff in Mysore, Shimoga, Mangalore, Bellary, Davangere, Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga city corporations and other urban local bodies.
It may be recalled that the BWSSB had recently decided to hike drinking water tariff in Bangalore City and the State’s Information and IT/BT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, who is also in charge of BWSSB, had also hinted at the move by pointing out that the Board was incurring heavy losses.
Suresh Kumar said the Government has been focusing on improving distribution network to ensure supply of drinking water to residents of Bangalore daily.
The leakage in the distribution network has been estimated at 55 % in most of the city corporations’ limits, he said.
In almost all corporations, the minister said the existing water supply system was plagued with several problems such as low supply rate with uneven schedules, disparities in area coverage, leakages, poor maintenance, low-cost recovery on account of unauthorised connections and unwillingness to pay for services, and lack of financial resources with urban local bodies to ensure regular water supply.
He said the collection of water tariff was just 35 to 45 % in the
limits of city corporations and other urban local bodies and mentioned that officials have been directed to take steps to increasecollections.
However, Hubli-Dharwad City Corporation was facing severe drinking water problem and 35 tankers would be used to supply drinking water daily, he said.
Based on a study conducted by a Swedish firm in a few towns, the Government has decided to implement a Rs 932 crore “Kannada Ganga” drinking water project in 16 towns in four divisions of the State.
The major objective of the ambitious project is to ensure 24x7 drinking water supply, he explained.
The 16 towns shortlisted for implementation of the project in the first phase are Sedam, Humnabad and Chitaguppa (Gulbarga division); Hukkeri, Sankeshwar and Bijapur (Belgaum division); Mandya, Srirangapatna, Kadur, Birur and Kushalnagar (Mysore division); and Shimoga, Tirthahalli, Tumkur, Malur and Tiptur (Bangalore division).
Suresh Kumar said funds available under the North Karnataka Urban Sector Investment Programme (Rs 10.30 crore) would be utilised for implementing the project.
To raise rest of the money, a loan would be obtained from the Central government or external agency, he said.
The project envisages provision of continuous, round-the-clock supply of potable water at a given pressure at every point in the distribution network.