The Hindu 24.02.2010
Do not take over Siruvani scheme, Corporation told
Special Correspondent
| Local body cannot handle it, say TWAD Board workers |
COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board Workers’ Board has opposed the reported moves by the Coimbatore Corporation to take over the Siruvani drinking water scheme.
While the councillors of the Corporation want the civic body to take over the scheme and maintain it, the workers argue that the local body is not equipped for this task. Besides, the workers also point out that one local body cannot take total control of a combined water supply scheme that is meant for many others also.
The union pointed out in a press release that such a takeover would not mean good to other local bodies such as Kavundmapalayam, Kurichi, Kuniamuthur municipalities and many other town panchayats.
The release said this even as the water board was implementing two alternative scheme for these local bodies.
A resolution moved at a recent meeting of the union here contended that the Corporation wanted to take over the Siruvani scheme in order to avoid paying a huge arrears that it owed the board in water consumption and scheme maintenance charges.
The 24-hour water supply project planned by the Corporation would lead to an increase in the tariff that the people would have to pay.
The councillors had already opposed a tariff raise and were prepared to approve it only if the 24-hour supply was made, the resolution recalled.
Objection
The union also took objection to the Corporation opting for a private company instead of the board to implement the Rs.113-crore Pilloor Phase II Drinking Water Scheme under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The union also opposed moves to reduce centage charges.
It said that when the board was formed in 1971 to provide the supply of protected water, a provision for centage charge at the rate of 18.5 per cent of the total project cost was made.
This met various costs incurred by the board such as electricity and fuel charges.
The charge had already been reduced to five per cent over the years and now the Government was reportedly planning to reduce it further. This would severely impact the functioning of the board, the union said.
