Pipeline breach disrupts water supply
Supply of drinking water was disrupted in many areas of the City on Thursday and Friday, as a major pipeline at the Cauvery Stage II developed cracks on Wednesday.
Nearly two-three million litres of water went down the drains by the time BWSSB officials identified the damaged pipeline joint and set it right. BWSSB call centres were flooded with over 150 calls from almost all parts of the City that were deprived of water. The Board supplied water through tankers to the affected areas.
The leak was repaired in the wee hours of Friday and supply to Bangalore West, South and parts of Central was restored immediately. A BWSSB official said the Cauvery Stage II was commissioned in 1982 and the pipelines have not been replaced since then. The crack was due to the corroded joints.
Separate authorities
BWSSB Minister S Suresh Kumar has proposed to set up a separate authority for Arkavathy and Kumudwathi rivers to streamline the rejuvenation of Tippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoir.
During his visit to TG Halli on Friday, the minister said a decision to form the authorities would be taken up shortly. “Desilting of the reservoir should begin by December end and removal of encroachment should be taken up in a big way. I have already instructed the departments concerned to take up the work immediately,” he said.
The minister said a sewage treatment plant (STP) needs to be set up near Tavarekere, which can be maintained by the gram panchayat. Treated water can be used for industries, agriculture and other purposes. It is crucial to save the TG Halli reservoir to meet future water requirement of the City, he added.
Suresh Kumar said all obstacles along the course of the river leading to the reservoir should be removed and the encroachmets within the boundary of the reservoir cleared immediately. The reservoir bed be demarcated by laying boundary stones, he added.
