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Water Supply

BDA to revive 29 more lakes

Tuesday, 07 September 2010 07:37 administrator
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The Deccan Herald  07.09.2010

BDA to revive 29 more lakes

Bangalore, Sept 6, DHNS

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will take up 29 more lakes for rejuvenation in the City limits.

glory restored: One of the lakes rejuvenated by the Bangalore Development Authority.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The revival of ten lakes of the 12 lakes taken up has almost neared completion, according to BDA Commissioner Bharatlal Meena.

The BDA had taken up revival following 12 lakes at an estimated cost of Rs 104.61 crore. Ullal lake (rejuvenation cost: Rs 4.49 cr), Mallathahalli lake (Rs 22.95 cr), Kommaghatta lake (Rs 6.44 cr), Ramasandra lake (Rs 13.4 cr), Thalghattapura (Rs 2.4 cr), Konasandra (Rs 6.1 cr), Sompura (Rs 3.85 cr), Kothnur (Rs 3.6 cr), Jakkur-Sampigehalli (Rs 21.91 cr), Rachenahalli (Rs 19 cr) and Venkateshpura lake (Rs 47 lakh).

Except the Ramasandra and Mallathhalli lake, the rejuvenation of the remaining lakes have been almost completed.

The project has resulted in recharge of the groundwater table in the surrounding areas, Commissioner Meena told presspersons here on Monday.

The BDA will take up revival of 29 more lakes in the city limits. The lakes are: Manganahalli, Nelagadirenahalli, Narasappanahalli, Lingadeeranahalli, Amruthahalli, Gubbala, Hosakerehalli, Doddakallsandra, Avalahalli, Hosakere, Chunchanaghatta, Hulimavu, Arakere, Kembettanahalli, Vasanthapura, Bheemanakuppe, Kenchanapura, Kannenahalli, Chikkabasti, Soolekere, B Narayanapura, Chikkabettahalli, Garavebavipalya, Singasandra, Konanakunte, Byrasandrakere, B Channasandrakere, Kaggadasapura and Doddanekkundi. The detailed project reports for these lakes are under preparation.

Public participation

Bharatlal Meena said the BDA intends to involve Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) of respective areas to maintain the rejuvenated lakes.

Suggestions would also be invited from the RWAs on protecting the water bodies from encroachment and pollution.

He said these lakes will emerge as tourist spots for the local residents besides providing a choicest destination for the winged guests coming from far-off places.  The BDA has built a silt trap, waste water diversion and screening barriers to Sompura lake. These measures will keep the lake clean round the year, claimed BDA engineer Prakash G Pawar. Konasandra lake, spread over 34.14 acres in BSK 6th Stage, will be restored to its past glory soon. Covered with weeds, the water body was reduced to a small pond before the BDA undertook rejuvenation July last.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 September 2010 07:43
 

KMC to impose rules on groundwater use

Monday, 06 September 2010 11:29 administrator
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The Times  of India   06.09.2010

KMC to impose rules on groundwater use

KOLKATA: To combat the arsenic menace in the city, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will soon require builders of housing projects to abide by guidelines it plans to prepare on sinking tubewells and drawing groundwater. KMC woke up to the arsenic menace after a survey revealed that most housing projects along EM Bypass, Lake Gardens, Golf Green, Behala, Jadavpur, Santoshpur, Garia, Bansdroni have come up with their developers flouting basic norms for installation of tubewells.

KMC's other measures against arsenic are to expedite construction of the Dhapa water treatment plant and augment capacities of Palta and Garden Reach water treatment plants. The Dhapa water treatment plant will cater to the demand for drinking water in east Kolkata, particularly by residents of existing and upcoming apartment buildings along Eastern Metropolitan Bypass.

The survey by KMC's water supply department served as an eye-opener, especially because residents of the areas mentioned are dependent on groundwater. "We need to ensure that tubewells are sunk after digging at least 300 feet deep. Even then, a filtration plant must be installed as a double-check on the quality of groundwater drawn. From now on, we will send our staff to collect samples of water when a big-diameter tubewell is sunk. A public analyst will test the sample. Only if the sample meets the desired standard will we allow the tubewell to be used," a senior official of the KMC water supply department said.

In fact, a team of scientists has found arsenic beyond permissible levels in a tubewell at Lake Gardens. "More than 300 milligrams of arsenic was found in a litre of water tested from the tubewell in Lake Gardens while permissible limit under WHO guidelines is 0.02 milligram/litre. We have set our permissible standard at 0.05 milligram/litre," an official of the state public health engineering department said.

KMC is concentrating on high-risk arsenic-prone zones like Behala, Lake Gardens, Garia, Bansdroni and parts of EM Bypass. Besides, the KMC water supply department has collected samples from areas where residents heavily depend on groundwater. "The samples are being tested at the KMC laboratory. Action, if required, will depend on the results," a KMC water supply department official said. KMC officials have also sought West Bengal Pollution Control Board's help in testing samples as PCB has a modern laboratory for testing arsenic.

However, KMC water supply department officials claimed that arsenic content in groundwater is within permissible limits in most parts of the city. "We have ordered closure of a big-diar tubewell inside Victoria Memorial and, instead, asked them to take a filtered water connection. Earlier, we had closed a tubewell at Behala. However, arsenic content in most areas where people depend on groundwater was found within permissible limits," a KMC official said.

 

Builders, contact Katta for water connections

Friday, 03 September 2010 10:16 administrator
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The Deccan Herald  03.09.2010

Builders, contact Katta for water connections

P M Raghunandan, Bangalore, September 2, DHNS:

Worried about BWSSB not sanctioning water supply or sanitary connection to a multi-storeyed building? Approach BWSSB Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu.

 

After stopping issue of new connections till December 2011 in Bangalore, BWSSB Minister has directed the officials to submit all applications in this regard to him. The Minister’s move has not only created utter confusion in the BWSSB but also raised many eyebrows in the official circle.

Additional Chief Secretary to Urban Development Department Subir Hari Singh has in a letter dated August 19, 2010 to BWSSB Chairman P B Ramamurthy, a copy of which is available with Deccan Herald stated: “All files related to water supply and sanitary connection should be brought to the Minister’s notice and further action should be taken only after his approval.”

Unscientific management

The minister quoted reckless discharge of sewage water into drains and unscientific management of water supply and sewerage connections as reasons behind his latest stance.

Earlier, this year, the minister was quoted as saying severe water scarcity in the City as the reason behind stopping new water connection till 2011.

The number of BWSSB consumers has shot up from 2.90 lakh to 6.10 lakh since 2002. However, the total water being pumped from river Cauvery to Bangalore (which was 860 million litres per day) has not increased, the minister pointed out.

The minister’s announcement has put hundreds of residential apartments and commercial complex projects in limbo. People who have booked new flats with builders have to wait with their fingers crossed.

However, neither the BWSSB nor the Department of Urban Development has issued any official order regarding not sanctioning new connection.

The Department of Urban Development has in a letter to BWSSB directed it to send a list of files to the minister.

According to official sources, the Minister’s announcement has come as a surprise to BWSSB officials. In response, BWSSB chairman immediately shot off a letter (on July 24) to the Urban Development Department seeking a clarification. However, to be on the safer side, BWSSB has stopped receiving applications seeking new water and sanitary connection to apartments and commercial complex projects, officials said.

Clarification

The Urban Development Department clarifying the issue, directed the BWSSB to submit all files pertaining to the sanctioning of new connections to the minister, in August.

As per the rule book, the chief engineer has powers to sanction new connections with pro rata charges (development charges) above Rs 5 lakh and below Rs 10 lakh. The Chairman has the power to sanction connection with above Rs 10 lakh pro rata charges.

Normally, any connection with above Rs 5 lakh pro rata charge falls under multi-storeyed category.

When contacted, BWSSB Chief Engineer Venkat Raju said the Board has received the letter. “We have received the letter but have not yet begun the process of receiving new applications. A decision will be arrived at after consultation with the Board,” he said.

This apart, the Minister has also directed BWSSB officials to seek his approval for tender worth above Rs 50 lakh.

Last Updated on Friday, 03 September 2010 10:22
 
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