JOIN USWater supply: KUWSDB steps up pressure
Next time when the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) council meets, the topic will be the burning issue of resuming the drinking water supply.
Following Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s intervention and divergent opinion of the elected representatives, including MLAs and corporators, over the MCC’s decision to resume the services of water supply, the council is expected to meet on June 22 and deliberate the issue.
In a latest development, a letter from the office of the chief engineer of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS and DB) to the office of the Regional Commissioner, Mysuru, is learnt to have categorically asked the authorities at the MCC to discuss the possibilities of revoking its resolution passed on May 15.
A majority of the corporators, during the previous council meeting, had favoured the MCC to take over the mantle, following the expiry of the extended period of Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO) Limited on May 31.
When questioned about the issue, on Tuesday, Mayor R Lingappa said, according to available information, a letter with the aforementioned contents has been dispatched from the chief engineer’s office to the RC office, that has been forwarded to the MCC commissioner’s office.
An appropriate decision will be taken during the next council meeting, scheduled to be held next week, he added.
However, Lingappa said, it would be unwise to change the decisions taken during the council meeting.
There has been no such instance in the past. At the same time, the local body cannot ignore the assertions of the chief minister.
Earlier, convener of Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysore (ACICM) M Lakshmana had alleged that P Manivannan, the Managing Director of KUWS and DB, is exerting influence on Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner A M Kunjappa, who holds the additional charge of Regional Commissioner to change the resolution, in favour of the board.
Instead, Lakshmana, in his memorandum to the mayor has sought establishment of an exclusive water supply board for Mysuru on the lines of KUWS and DB.
Also, the MCC should file a criminal complaint against JUSCO for its failure to bring the water supply network in the city under 24x7, even after the expiry of its six-year-long agreement from 2009.
The city is getting 250 MLD of water from various sources against 280 MLD of required water per day and the situation has become worse in recent days, due to incomplete works by JUSCO.