The Hindu             20.12.2013 

State needs a single water board: official

The State requires a single water board as the water supply is managed by agencies such as grama panchayats, zilla panchayats, and the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) and there is no accountability on any single agency, Rajeev Chawla, managing director, KUWSDB, has said.

He was participating in a workshop on innovations in urban governance organised by the Directorate of Municipal Administration here on Thursday. Mr. Chawla said other States had such agencies and they were doing well.

He said water tariff should be revised periodically as the existing water tariff in urban areas was not enough to pay the salaries of KUWSDB staff.

Mr. Chowla said a well-operated system could deliver water supply 24 hours a day, and seven days a week at affordable costs.

He alleged that elected representatives were opposing the 24x7 water supply scheme terming it as privatisation just because they had vested interests.

“If people are given potable water and if the supply is regular, people are ready to pay. There are no technical hurdles for introducing a 24x7 water supply scheme across the State. However, there are some forces that want to prevent it for vested interests. The onus is on us [officials] to convince elected representatives and others who are opposing it,” Mr Chawla said.

Qamarul Islam, Minister for Municipal Administration, who inaugurated the workshop, said introduction of innovations in urban governance was the need of the hour.

With nearly 40 per cent of the population living in urban areas, the task of providing basic amenities to this population is a big challenge, he said.

Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake said the process for recruiting people for nearly 4,200 posts (from A to D group) in his department had begun. This apart, 402 posts in KUWSDB would also be filled.