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Water Supply

Coming soon: Round-the-clock water supply to 3 colonies

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The Indian Express            03.12.2013

Coming soon: Round-the-clock water supply to 3 colonies

The Municipal Corporation will soon initiate the project to provide 24 hours water supply. For the purpose, three colonies —Vikas Nagar in Mauli Jagran, Indira Colony in Mani Majra and Janta and Kumhar Colony have been identified. It is expected that once the system is introduced it would prevent wastage of water and check contamination.

The civic body had earlier approved a proposal for having 24 hours water supply at Vikas Nagar. Two more colonies have now been identified for the purpose. Water tankers would be constructed in these colonies that would ensure round the clock water supply. Colonies with closed circuit have been chosen for the purpose, which means these colonies do not get water from any other source, but tubewells. In these areas, the tubewell connections would be put off and the 27x7 water supply initiated.

The proposal was mooted after deaths were reported due to diarrhoea in Mauli Jagran last year. The primary reason of the deaths were contamination of water. In these areas, single storey houses have been converted into multi-level houses. Pipelines that were laid are now inadequate. To ensure water supply, residents had installed water pumps on the supply lines. This leads to contamination of water. Superintending Engineer (Public Health) RC Diwan said that in these colonies water is mostly used for domestic purpose. "It has been witnessed at several places that round the clock water supply leads to water saving. Residents are in a habit of storing water in the morning and then throwing it away in the evening when the supply resumes."

He added that it was after directions by Municipal Commissioner VP Singh that they conducted survey at the colonies and identified these. This system would prevent contamination of water.

Mayor Subhash Chawla said, "It is expected that the agenda for providing round the clock water supply in Indira Colony and Janta and Kumhar Colony are brought to the MC House for approval in the meeting scheduled this month. The foundation stone of the water tanker at Vikas Nagar would also be laid. Thereafter, work would be initiated."

 

Non-domestic water tariff may go up

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The Hindu            03.12.2013

Non-domestic water tariff may go up

Special Correspondent

The water tariff for commercial semi-bulk supply and industrial use is likely to go up. The tariff for both the categories is proposed to be revised as the corporation is incurring 15 per cent more cost on the supply in view of the increase in power tariff and manning expenses.

With GVMC proposing to take up a 24X7 water supply project under JNNURM, CPI(M) and CPI have expressed the apprehension that tariff will go up as meters will be fixed.

Municipal Commissioner M. V. Satyanarayana has said there is no move to increase the tariff for the BPL population from the existing Rs.60 a month and for middle and upper middle class that mostly come under the Rs.120 a month category.

The tariff was revised in 2011 but in view of the cost (of supply) going up, the need to increase it has become somewhat imperative, Mr. Satyanarayana told reporters on Monday.

Resolution

However, it needs to be done after obtaining a council resolution (in the absence of an elected council that of the Special Officer) and for industrial supply after the Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Company (VISWCO) approves it.

Presently, raw water and treated water are supplied at Rs.26 and Rs.36 a KL.

 

Water supply may be restored today

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The Hindu            03.12.2013

Water supply may be restored today

Staff Reporter

Complete restoration of water supply in the city, which was disrupted late on Saturday, is likely to happen only after midnight on Monday.

Kerala Water Authority (KWA) officials said the work on replacing the affected portions of the 1,200-mm pre-stressed concrete transmission mainline at Aruvikkara, which had burst around 9 p.m. on Saturday, was still on and was likely to be completed around 9 p.m. on Monday. However, charging of the line and complete restoration of water supply to all parts of the city may take a few more hours. Alternative arrangements had been made, they said.

Supply from the 86 million litres a day (MLD) plant of the KWA was affected by the burst and the leak that was detected near the same spot on Sunday.

But water supply was possible from two other plants there — the KWA’s 72-MLD plant and the 74-MLD JICA plant. Water from these plants was diverted to cater to most parts of the city on Monday, Aruvikkara executive engineer S. Santosh said. However, supply to several elevated areas such as Sreekaryam, Powdikonam, and places under the Pongumoodu sub-division remained affected on Monday, he said.

Meanwhile, V. Sivankutty, MLA, demanded a Vigilance probe into the frequent pipe-bursts in the city. In a statement, Mr. Sivankutty said the pipe-bursts had become a daily affair, causing immense misery to the public. There were reports that some KWA officials had joined hands with contractors to siphon off crores of rupees.

Pointing out that the water shortage due to Saturday’s pipe-burst was severe in Peroorkada, Pattom, Sreekaryam, Mannanthala, Kesavadasapuram, Medical College, and Vazhayila among others, he said no alternative arrangements were made in these places.

 


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