The Hindu 08.08.2012
No road-cutting charge to get water connection in 54 wards
Newly added areas under BBMP to get water on a trial basis from August 27
Following the government’s decision to undertake a trial run of supplying drinking water under the II Stage of the IV Phase of the Cauvery project from August 27, a decision has been taken not to levy road-cutting fee on households seeking water connection in the 54 newly added wards of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Drinking water will be supplied to two lakh households that were once under the seven city municipal councils (CMCs) and one town municipal council (TMC) which are now part of the BBMP. Greater Bangalore was created in 2007 by merging these seven CMCs and one TMC as well as 110 villages with the erstwhile Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).
This was announced by Minister for Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) S. Suresh Kumar here on Tuesday.
BBMP charges Rs. 500 for cutting a foot of road for laying water pipes to households from the main. Apart from this, officials demand bribe ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh from each household for granting permission to cut the road, according to sources.
Mr. Kumar said two lakh households in 54 wards of the BBMP would be able to get water connection. The house owners could seek connections in September and October.
Plumbers trained
BWSSB has trained 70 plumbers to provide water connection. Eight to 10 plumbers would be assigned to undertake works in each ward. Besides paying for the taps, pipes and meter, each household would have to pay Rs. 2,400 to the plumber. Households would get regular drinking water supply from October, he said.
A total of 500 million litres of water per day (MLD) would be supplied to these areas under the project, which was taken up with the aid from Japan International Cooperation Agency. With the addition of 500 MLD, a total of 1,400 MLD water would be supplied to the city, the Minister said.
Noting the drinking water shortage in the 110 villages that were merged with the BMP, he said an expert committee had been set up to identify surface water sources to ensure potable water to these villages. Discussions were on with the Water Resources Department to mitigate water shortage in these villages, Mr. Kumar said.
Survey
A private company had been assigned the task of conducting a survey to find out the extent of pilferage in the supply of drinking water in the southern parts of the city, the Minister said.
- House owners can seek connections in September and October: Minister
- Two lakh households to get regular drinking water supply from October
