The Hindu 21.01.2010
GMC members irked over delay in drinking water project
Staff Reporter
GUNTUR: Heated exchanges over comprehensive drinking water project being taken up with the assistance of World Bank marred the proceedings of general body meeting of Guntur Municipal Corporation. The GMC had secured World Bank nod for taking up the project at an estimated cost of Rs.146 crore.
Municipal Commissioner K. Ilambarithi said that an agreement between the World Bank and the State Government will be signed at Hyderabad on January 22. The process of calling for tenders would begin shortly.
Deputy Mayor Sk. Mohammad Ghouse presided over the council meet in the absence of Mayor Rayapati Mohana Sai Krishna.
Raising the issue, MLC K.S. Lakshmana Rao found fault with civic authorities for failing to inform him of the meeting convened to discuss the project and urged the Dy. Mayor to convene a special session on the project.
Corporator Maganti Sudhakar Yadav sought clarification whether the financial assistance from the World Bank was in the form of a grant or a loan, on the sort of pumping system going to be used in the project and whether the project would cover drinking water needs of neighbouring villages in case a Greater Guntur is formed in the future.
Intervening in the discussion, Guntur East MLA Sk. Mastan Vali said that development was possible only during the Congress regime and challenged the TDP corporators for an open discussion kicking off a row with TDP corporators. In the melee, the Chair adjourned the council for five minutes.
The Commissioner said in his reply that the 80 per cent of the project would be in the form of a grant and 20 per cent in the form a loan, which the State Government is ready to bear.
He said that the technical Detailed Project Reports would look into other details and added that a meeting of all stake holders would be convened shortly on the water project.
