Water supply: Most favour VVWW to resume task

With the deadline extended for Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO) Limited over the operation and maintenance of drinking water supply in the city nearing an end, the business advisory committee (BAC) of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) met, here, on Thursday.

It was eventually decided to arrive at a consensus, during the next council meeting scheduled to be held on May 15. At the closed door meeting, presided over by Mayor R Lingappa, at the Old Council Hall of the MCC, the corporators and officials discussed at length about the three options, as discussed during the previous council, over who would take over the job, after the expiry of the extended term given to JUSCO on May 30.

Separate board

Though the corporators, during the previous council meeting, had decided to vet into the possibilities of either taking over the operation and maintenance (O and M) from JUSCO and execute it through either Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) or form a separate board on the lines of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS and DB), or transfer the job to KUWS and DB in Bengaluru, most of the corporators spoke in favour of VVWW.

JUSCO

The VVWW that was tasked with the duties and responsibilities till JUSCO arrived, should be given the responsibility. If the water works succeeds in effectively mobilising its own revenue by collecting water cess and arrears, it is possible to run the show, the corporators felt.

According to the statistics provided during the meeting, VVWW is collecting Rs 3.50 crore per annum against Rs 3.88 crore in the form of water cess. The arrears accrue at Rs 90 crore. Filling of 205 vacancies, a majority of them valveman, pump operators, inspectors were also discussed. R Purushothama, a sitting corporator and former mayor, stressed on handing over the task on a trial basis to KUWS and DB.

The meeting was also attended by MCC Commissioner C G Betsurmath, ruling party leader in the MCC K T Chaluvegowda, BJP leader B V Manjunath, former mayor Srikantaiah and chairmen of three standing committees.