H-D to get better drinking water supply within a year: Commissioner

Dharwad: Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities will witness significant improvement in drinking water supply within a year, said HDMC commissioner Rudresh Ghali.Speaking at a media interaction organised by the Dharwad Journalists' Guild in the city, he said that currently 120 MLD and 80 MLD of water is being supplied from Malaprabha, along with 20 MLD from Neerasagar.He noted that in Dharwad, areas which earlier received water once a week are now being supplied once every five days, and from May 1, the supply will be further improved to once every four days.Ghali said a major project worth Rs 1,700 crore has been awarded to L&T company for laying new pipelines, which will bring an additional 43 MLD of water. Once the project is completed, the twin cities are expected to receive continuous water supply.In rural areas, water is currently being supplied through tankers and local borewells. After additional water is sourced from Malaprabha, water from Neerasagar lake will be diverted to rural regions. This initiative has already begun on a pilot basis, he added.Ghali also said that digital payment of water bills has been enabled through the BPS app, with nearly three-fourths of consumers already opting for digital payments.Highlighting other civic measures, he said that of the 77,000 streetlights in the twin cities, LED bulbs are being installed. The work is expected to be completed within eight months, resulting in annual savings of Rs 10-12 crore for the corporation.On sanitation, he said that waste dumping points, which earlier numbered 622 public locations, have now been reduced to 177, with plans to bring them down to zero in the coming days.He further said that instead of outsourcing, salaries of pourakarmikas are now being directly credited, along with provision of meals and safety equipment. Wages are being paid on the first of every month through a welfare fund, ensuring better efficiency in sanitation work.Ghali also shared information on maintenance of parks, road improvements, and other civic infrastructure initiatives.