ACICM urges cancellation of JUSCO 24/7 water supply contract in city

M Lakshmana, Convenor of Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysore alleged that Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company Ltd (JUSCO) has failed to fulfil the objectives of providing water supply connection to 1.50 lakh houses within January 2013.

At a press meet here on Sunday, he urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take strict action against the company which had not provided connection to even a single house. “Contract of the company should be cancelled and given to some other company,” he added.  

Briefing the details of the contract of the company, he said that JUSCO had obtained the Rs 162 crore project in 2008. “The company has not achieved any target till date from the commencement date, including providing 24/7 water supply connection to 1.50 lakh houses in the city. It had failed to achieve the performance targets during previous milestone periods of July 2009, January 2010, January 2011, July 2011, January 2012, July 2012, October 2012 and even January 2013. However the issue has not been intimated to State and the Central governments,” he said.

Other targets

The other targets include revenue improvement in three per cent of the area, other than revenue water in 75 per cent of the 24/7 project area. Apart from that, the company was also supposed to redress complaints in 98 per cent of the 24/7 project area as well as the entire zone.

It had also to achieve 100 per cent quality compliance in 24/7 area and 95 per cent pressure compliance in 24/7 area.

He alleged that the company had been given “too much liberty, lenience and unwanted favours”, despite which it had failed to achieve the target and services. “The company had also obtained the contract providing fake certification that it had experience in management of such huge projects,” he added.

He said that the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewage Board had also issued notices to the company, despite which it did not take measures to ensure completion of services. It has even slapped a fine of Rs 1.65 crore on the company.

Lakshmana said that to facilitate better water supply services, JUSCO’s contract should be cancelled in city.