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Water Supply

Novel project to generate water from atmosphere

Monday, 03 August 2009 04:32 administrator
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The Hindu 03.08.2009

Novel project to generate water from atmosphere

Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM: A novel product to generate pure drinking water from atmosphere has been launched by Skywater India Private Ltd. in the city.

Speaking to mediapersons on the occasion on Sunday, managing director of the company Maidam Krisnachaitanya said that the product was based on new revolutionary technology harnessing the simple principle of condensation to produce water.

Water vapour condenses on a surface when the surface is cooler than the temperature of the available water vapour. Cutting-edge technology took this principle and created a water generator that delivers 500 litres to over 1,000 litres according to varying climatic conditions, he said.

“The generator is optimised to perform between 30 degree and 45 degree Centigrade and relative humidity of 50 per cent to 100 per cent. Under these conditions, it delivers 500 litres to 1000 litres a day, using very less power. The cost per litre of water works out to only 65 paise,” he said.

The company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Salton Inc., an US based global consumer product company with an annual sales of nearly two billion US dollars, he said. The cost of the generator was around Rs.7.5 lakhs. The machine had only two moving parts and therefore the wear and tear was less and practically it was maintenance-free, he claimed.

Replying to questions, Executive Director of APIIC Eswara Rao, who was present, said that there would not be any problem to allot land to the company at the SEZ since it was an export-oriented unit.

Distributor M. Seshagiri Rao was present.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 August 2009 04:35
 

Criminal case against illegal water users

Saturday, 01 August 2009 11:26 administrator
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Deccan Herald 01.08.2009

Mayor orders officials to identify all illegal connections within 10 days

Criminal case against illegal water users
Mangalore,DH News Service:

Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) has decided to file criminal and civil case against those who indulge in tapping water from 18 MGD pipeline illegally.
 

Addressing the general body meeting of the City Corporation held on Friday, members raised objection over the inefficient water supply and water scarcity haunting the city even during rainy season.

They said that before commissioning of ADB water supply project, the Corporation had managed to meet the water demand of the city using 18 MGD alone but now due to illegal connections made to provide water to rural area, meeting water demand in MCC limits has become a problem. Officials too agreed that over 40 per cent of 18 MGD water is illegally tapped to provide water to rural area. Responding to this, Mayor M Shanker Bhat said that 25 such illegal connections are suspected in the 18 MGD and illegal connections are espected to rise during rainy season. He ordered the officials concerned to identify all illegal connections within 10 days.

Members questioned the progress in ADB drinking water project and complained that though the KUDCEMP officials have been saying that the drinking water project has been completed, many areas have still not received water.

KUDCEMP official informed the House that 99 per cent works have been completed while linking works at certain areas are remaining. About 4 MGD water is being pumped to Padil on daily basis depending on the requirement for 8 to 10 hours using two pumps.
He further clarified that KUDCEMP officials are not responsible for operating the valves while it is to be done by MCC officials. This caused chaos in the House as members said that though ADB project will be soon handed over to MCC, there is no valve operator in place and certain aspects like who is going to operate the valves is still not clear.

Nirmala Nagara

Member Shantha Ravindra questioned the House about the purpose, function and progress of Nirmala Nagar unit existing in MCC.

She said that though it was started two years ago for conducting survey in MCC limits, nobody knows the status of the project. Further, Rs 2 lakh is spent every month for the payment of salary of employees in the unit.

Joint Commissioner M K Gadkar said that survey work in 54 wards have been completed while the entire project will be completed by December.

Member Mariamma Thomas said that concrete roads all over the city are in precarious condition reflecting the poor quality concrete works done. She alleged the Engineer of being partial while allocating SFC grant to some corporators. Endorsing her views, many other members too spoke of poor quality concrete works in their ward and demanded enquiry into the works.

The Mayor said that the concrete work is being done in the City like an ‘andholan’ and accordingly Deputy Commissioner had convened a meeting with the officials concerned and contractors and has asked the contractors to utilise the entire SFC grant of Rs 20 crore and Rs 50 crore fund by September.

Honourarium

Opposition Leader Harinath said that though huge hue and cry was made about hike in honourarium for Corporators, their hopes shattered like castle of cards on Thursday when Finance Secretary disapproved the proposal.
He said that they were hurt by the move of the Finance Secretary who hiked the Honourarium of former MLAs and MLAs many fold but disapproved the hike for corporators. The Mayor said that District-in-Charge Minister has still not lost hopes on it and he has assured to take up the matter again.

Rain compensation

During the beginning of the meet, the Mayor said that Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned for the district for providing rain damage compensation. Accordingly, an action plan has been prepared and sent to the Government.

Mariamma Thomas questioned the Mayor how the plan was sent to the Government without asking the members the extent of damages in their wards and their requirements.

The Mayor said that once the action plan is approved, the requirements of the wards will be taken up accordingly.

 

MCC resolves to remove illegal water connections

Saturday, 01 August 2009 05:56 administrator
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The Hindu - Karnataka 01.08.2009

MCC resolves to remove illegal water connections

Staff Correspondent

Mayor directs engineers to prepare a list of unauthorised connections within 10 days

 

Proposal to supply water to UPCL opposed

Rs. 49.9-lakh market complex at Bejai approved

— Photo: R. Eswarraj

MAKING A POINT: Shankar Bhat (second from left), Mayor, speaking at the monthly meeting of the city corporation in Mangalore on Friday. Rajani Dugganna, Deputy Mayor, is to his right.

MANGALORE: The Mangalore City Corporation council in its meeting on Friday resolved to take immediate steps to disconnect all unauthorised water connections from the main pipeline that supplies water to the city from the Thumbe vented dam.

Mayor M. Shankar Bhat directed engineers to prepare a list of illegal connections within 10 days. The corporation would file criminal and civil cases against those who had taken such connections, he said.

Mr. Bhat said that a meeting would be held with the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, the Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat, MLAs, and other elected representatives shortly to discuss this issue.

The Mayor said that district in-charge Minister J. Krishna Palemar had convened a meeting of elected representatives and officials sometime ago to resolve this issue. Accordingly, steps had been taken to supply water to people living in the limits of gram panchayats between Thumbe and the city with a 2-MGD (million gallons a day) pipeline.

A new pump, estimated to cost Rs. 35 lakh, had been installed at Thumbe to pump water to the pipeline. In spite of this, the people living between Thumbe and the city continued to draw water from the main 18-MGD pipeline. There could be at least 25 such illegal connections there, he said. The Mayor said that it was unfair to draw water illegally when the corporation was providing water to the people in the gram panchayat limits. G.V. Rajashekaramurthy, Executive Engineer, told the council that illegal tapping had resulted in 30 to 40 per cent reduction in the quantity of water being supplied to the city.

Water to UPCL

The Opposition members in the council objected to a proposal of the civic body to supply 100 cubic metres of water an hour (0.5 MGD or 2.54 million litres a day) to Udupi Power Corporation Ltd. for its storage yard on the premises of New Mangalore Port.

Clarification

The Mayor told the members that the corporation would supply water to UPCL only after two years. But the company needed an assurance letter to this effect. As the Government had laid an additional 18-MGD capacity pipeline from Thumbe to the city, there would be an increase in the quantity of water being supplied to the city in two years.

In addition, the civic body was planning to get water from the Lakhya dam at Kudremukh. Hence the city might not face any problem despite supplying water to UPCL after two years, he said.

However, the council resolved to supply water to UPCL only if there was excess water after meeting the drinking water requirements of the city.

Market complex

The council approved a proposal to build a market complex at Bejai at an estimated cost of Rs. 49.9 lakh. It was decided to entrust the construction to Karnataka Land Army Corporation Ltd., a State Government undertaking.

Mariyamma Thomas, member, urged the Mayor to take steps to fill potholes on roads that had been damaged owing to the recent heavy rain. However, none of the members appeared to have taken this subject seriously as they chose to discuss various other subjects.

Last Updated on Saturday, 01 August 2009 05:58
 
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