Ensure no shortage of water, minister tells officials

Udupi District In-charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj directed the officials to ensure that the district does not face a shortage of water during peak summer. Priority should be given for supply of water till the onset of monsoon.

Chairing a meeting convened to discuss on water supply with the City Municipal Council (CMC) engineers and PDOs on Tuesday, Madhwaraj directed the officials to make arrangement for a supply of water through tankers. Tenders should be invited for the supply, he added.

'Attend to public calls'

The minister directed the officials not to switch off their mobile phones but attend to the calls of the public with regard to the shortage of water.

CMC environment officer Raghavendra said, "Tenders have been invited to supply water to eight wards in Udupi. Measures have been taken to supply water to other wards. The water level in Baje reservoir that supplied drinking water to Udupi stood at 5.66 metre. If water is supplied round the clock, then it is sufficient for 65 to 70 days."

The sandbags placed in Shiroor dam have been removed. The inflow of water to the dam has also stopped.

CMC commissioner D Manjunathaiah said that officials have been deployed to monitor the supply of water in all the 35 wards.

Manjunathaiah said that the CMC had conducted a trial run on rationing of water. Fifty-eight houses had encountered minor problems while receiving water.

Tanker to well

The minister expressed displeasure for pouring water from tanker to a well and later supplying it to the residents through pipelines at Ambalpady Gram Panchayat. "The pouring of water into the well will result in wastage of water. Instead, water should be supplied through tankers directly," the minister said.

When Handadi GP PDO said that the gram panchayat has resolved not to supply water through tankers, the enraged minister said, "I am the president of the Task Force looking into the supply of water. Do what I ask you to do. Invite quotation for water supply."

Electrification of houses

Elaborating the achievements of various development programmes, the minister said that 497 houses in the rural areas are been given electricity connection and are undergoing various stages of electrification. Out of 497, 167 are completely electrified.

The minister said that 3,540 BPL cards are distributed in the Adalat, while 3,373 are given under Tatkal and another 8,000 sent via post. As many as 1,490 title deeds are given under 94C and 94CC of Land Revenue Act.

He said that the applicants for BPL cards can immediately approach the Food section in respective Taluk offices with income certificates and get their cards done.