Water supply: Organisations air divergent opinions

As the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) prepares to discuss as to who should continue the operation and maintenance of drinking water supply in the city, after the extended period of Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO) ends on May 31, during its council meeting on Friday, concerned citizens have made their observations.

In an open letter to the corporators, convenor of the Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysore (ACICM) M Lakshmana has urged the elected representatives to take a scientific decision by handing over the task to a separate board on the lines of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS and DB).

Lakshmana has cited a clause in the agreement between the MCC, KUWS&DB and JUSCO in the year 2009. As per the agreement, the water supply should be handed over to a separate board, after the successful implementation of 24x7 water supply by JUSCO. In addition to this, the State government in its previous budget has also announced to form a separate board.

Separate board
A separate board can supply water, irrespective of the area that has expanded in recent years, as the MCC is ill-equipped to meet the demand. Staff can be recruited as per the requirements to improve the efficiency, besides having autonomous power, to seek financial assistance from institutions, including the Asian Development Bank at two per cent rate of interest.

Similarly, Bhamy V Shenoy and R Chandra Prakash of the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) have favoured KUWS and DB for the task. As it is not possible now to form a separate board due to the paucity of time, the MCC should hand over the operation to the board against Vani Vilas Water Works (VVVW) coming under it.

JUSCO has created some sophisticated computer based system to monitor water supply and billing system, as VVVW has no qualified staff to take it over.