Act or face farmers' ire, warns ex-mayor

Addressing media here on Wednesday, corporator Sandesh Swamy, also a former mayor, alleged that inordinate delay on the part of the district administration is the reason for the current pathetic situation- the farmers have intervened, stopping the ongoing work at the site in that village.

A total of six acres and 20 guntas of land owned by six, was acquired for the work, that was commissioned way back in 2009.

The project taken up at an estimated cost of ` 108 crore under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), will cater to the drinking water needs at western part of Mysore city.

Unlike the existing facilities at other parts of the city, both jackwell and treatment mechanism are planned at the same site.

The then District In-charge Minister Shobha Karandlaje, Deputy Commissioner P Manivannan and incumbent Commissioner of MCC K S Raykar had arrived on a consensus fixing the compensation per acre of land to ` 26 lakh for irrigated land and ` 18 lakh for dry land. Accordingly, the city corporation deposited ` 1.48 crore with the district administration on August last, but it’s yet to reach the pockets of the ryots.

The former mayor attributed the current crisis to a query by the Revenue Department. The higher ups at the department had sent a requisition to the immediate past Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta to fix the compensation complying with the prevailing market price, according to the office of sub-registrar.

The deputy commissioner  sent back the report asking the department to take a decision, that is yet to be pondered over by the former, the former mayor disclosed.

Recently, Medical Education and District In-charge Minister S A Ramdas too took stock of the situation at the work  area, and had also announced to set things right, but to no avail, the Corporator added.

He fretted that the frequent hurdles to the work, may prolong the completion of the same, within  the deadline on coming November. He warned of taking to streets irrespective of party affiliation, if the government fails to reply within the set deadline.

Deputy Mayor M J Ravikumar, Congress leader in the council B L Bhyrappa, Janata Dal (Secular) Corporators R Lingappa and Mahadevappa were present.

Water board accused of flouting norms

Former mayor Sandesh Swamy levelled a grave allegation on Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB) of issuing a tender notification for a drinking water project, without taking the consent of MCC.

Releasing a copy of notification dated April 15, 2011 to the media, Swamy alleged that, according to the plan estimated at a cost of  ` 960 lakh, the existing water line up to 3.5 km from Hongalli and Belagola will be linked to a few industries like Infosys and others, near a pump house at J K Tyres factory (formerly Vikrant). 

The existing line dated back to the days of Maharajas, is laid on  MCC owned land. The decision has been taken without seeking the approval of the local body as is the procedure. The local body is not against catering to the demand for water by any industries, but will not tolerate any unilateral decisions, clarified Swamy.

Most importantly, the launching of the work may be detrimental to the future demand of growing Mysore. As the ambit of MCC is set to become much bigger under Greater MCC next, with the addition of a few more localities, the local body has plans to provide those areas with adequate drinking water.

It would be only possible, if the afore said project is stopped. Or else, MCC will have to scout for land first, rather than going ahead with the intended project.