KUWSSB okays Kundamestri project

Its estimated budget is Rs 23.64 crore

The Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board has given its technical approval to the revised estimated project of Rs 23.64 crore on November 26. Now, the Board has to call for a tender and start the works.

Earlier, a foundation stone was laid for the Kundamestri project at Onachalu in Galibeedu Gram Panchayat limits. However, as additional funds were released under Small and Medium Towns basic facilities Development project, the revised project was prepared at an estimated cost of Rs 23.64 crore. With this, the earlier Rs 7 crore project was suspended and the Board had to invite fresh tender.

At present, water is being supplied from Kootuhole to Madikeri town. For the past several years, silt was not removed from Kootuhole. As a result, the water-level gets depleted during March, thus forcing CMC to supply water through tankers in the month of April-May by spending lakhs of rupees every year.  

Under these circumstances, it is essential to flag off the work on Kundamestri in the district. Under the revised project, every individual will get 135 litres of drinking water per day.

Under the project, a dam will be constructed at Onachalu to collect 7,000 million litres of water. Owing to the construction of dam, nearly 30 to 35 acres land will be submerged. Of the total land, nearly 30 acres are paisari land and only four to five acres land has to be acquired. Before starting the project, land has to be acquired wherein backwater will get collected. Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board had decided to go for land acquisition process after conducting survey by Tahsildar. However, nobody knows about the process.

Though Cauvery takes birth in Kodagu, people have to face shortage of water in every summer.