JOIN USThe Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) council on Friday deferred the decision over the fate of Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO) Limited for another four days -- to January 27. The extended council meeting will be held at 11 am on the day.
The general council meeting convened, assumed significance, as the city corporation was expected to discuss on the topic, as the contract period of JUSCO is scheduled to end on January 27. Following a tripartite agreement between Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board (KUWS&DB), Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and JUSCO, the latter was handed over the task of round the clock drinking water supply to the Mysuru city.
Mayor R Lingappa who tabled the subject for discussion an hour before the closing hours of the council, at 6 pm, brought it to the notice of the corporators that in its recent letter to MCC, KUWS&DB had sought the opinion of the council to extend the contract period by another four months, up to May, or till the total execution of the project. The contract period is set to expire on January 27, with MCC bound to take over the task from the following day.
This led to a heated discussion for a while, with corporators cutting across party lines airing divergent opinions. When the Mayor asked the Executive Engineer of KUWS&DB K P Jayaram to explain the status of the water supply and related matters, the corporators were no mood to listen.
Instead, Independent Corporator R Ananthu questioned the capability of MCC officials in discharging the duties effectively, if JUSCO was allowed to pack the bags. Another Corporator B L Bhyrappa described JUSCO as a “blessing in disguise” to the city. Similar was the tone of Corporator H S Nandeesh Preetham and J S Jagadeesha among others.
However Janata Dal (Secular) Corporator C Mahadesha opposed the continuation of JUSCO, which was seconded by fellow Corporator R Raveendra Kumar.
As there was a heated discussion for nearly 20 minutes, with corporators creating a din, seeking some more time to discuss on the issue, Lingappa eventually announced to hold the continued meeting on January 27.
Interestingly, though water supply is the prime duty of the civic body and JUSCO had been brought in to ensure 24x7 drinking water network, the raging subject was included on the agenda as an additional subject. This despite a similar subject being marked in the agenda copy, with Corporator Raveendra Kumar asking written reply for his six questions about JUSCO. This led to another heated argument between Raveendra and Lingappa, but in vain.