MCC to hold spl meeting to discuss Jalasiri scheme soon

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will soon hold a special meeting to discuss the Jalasiri scheme, which was taken up in 2018, to ensure 24x7 drinking water supply in 60 wards of the city.Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur said that a special meeting will be held to discuss various issues to expedite the scheme, which is being implemented in the city at an estimated cost of Rs 791 crore. At a council meeting of the MCC held on Tuesday, the mayor had postponed four agendas pertaining to the scheme.

In fact, four agendas related to the scheme were tabled before the council meeting. As per an agenda, all properties in the city will have to be provided water connections with meters. Other agendas include preparing a policy for public stand posts (PSP) for drinking water supply, regularisation of all unauthorised water connections and underground drainage connections to all properties.Corporator Vinayaraj said that though the project aims at providing 24x7 drinking water, people in many areas still receive water supply for just an hour a day. “Out of Rs 791 crore, Rs 587 crore will be for development of overhead tanks, underground tanks, main pipelines and distribution lines. Meanwhile, Rs 204 crore has been reserved for operation and maintenance. Why should the city corporation reserve Rs 204 crore for operation and maintenance, even when water is not being supplied on a 24x7 basis yet? The city corporation is yet to identify the source of water for the purpose,” Vinayaraj said.According to officials, the Jalasiri Karnataka Integrated Water Management Investment Programme (KIWMIP) scheme is being implemented through the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), to ensure quality drinking water supply to the city on a 24x7 basis. The scheme has been planned to provide uninterrupted drinking water to the city, keeping in mind the population and water demand of 2046. In fact, the scheme was planned at an estimated cost of Rs 390 crore, under Phase II of the ADB financing, as per a DPR prepared in 2018, and later the cost escalated.

Executive engineer to fix irregular water supply in Ardee City

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has assured residents of Ardee City that the ongoing disruption in water supply will be resolved. The residents have been facing irregular water supply and have also raised concerns about the need for infrastructure upgrades in the water-boosting stations. The MCG commissioner has directed the executive engineer to address the issue and ensure that the residents do not face any further problems with water supply. The residents have claimed that the water crisis started after MCG took over and is due to poor infrastructure and mismanagement.

'24x7 water supply for all of Delhi soon'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has promised to provide round-the-clock water supply in every part of the capital. Speaking at a public meeting, Kejriwal highlighted the provision of free electricity in Delhi and Punjab, and stated that the entire city would eventually have continuous water supply too. Kejriwal has been inaugurating road, water, and sewer projects in unauthorised colonies across the city in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. He also mentioned Delhi's achievements in areas such as education, healthcare, and surveillance. Despite recent amendments diminishing the power of the Delhi government, Kejriwal assured that development work would continue.

Make drinking water available on a priority: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed officials in Chamarajanagar district to address the drinking water crisis and undertake drought relief measures. He has urged them to use all available resources, including private borewells and tankers, to ensure drinking water is made available on a priority basis. The state has already declared 195 taluks as drought-hit, and more taluks are expected to be included in the coming days. The Chief Minister has also emphasized the need for uninterrupted power supply, employment for MNREGA card holders, and preventing harassment of farmers over loan repayments.

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