The Hindu 27.06.2013
Sorake directs officials to prepare plan for improving civic amenities
Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake has said
the Union government will be approached for financial assistance to
develop and improve basic civic amenities and facilities in urban areas.
Presiding
over a review meeting of the Bellary City Corporation and the Bellary
Urban Development Authority here on Wednesday, he said the Centre was
willing to extend financial assistance if approached with detailed
proposals, especially those concerning drinking water supply and
underground drainage.
“I have asked officials to prepare a detailed plan for Rs. 2,000 crore,” he added.
The
Minister said that he would hold review meetings every three months and
get senior officials of his department, so that he could “try to solve
at least some of the problems then and there.”
He
instructed the Corporation Commissioner to make use of the Central
schemes to provide civic amenities and also prioritise utilisation of
funds reserved for the welfare of SC/ST and physically disabled.
The Minister wanted an explanation on why water was being supplied only once a week.
Yunus
Basha, Executive Engineer, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage
Board, said that bulk supply was looked after by the board. Water is
being pumped at the required rate of 120 litres per capita per day,
while internal distribution was being overseen by the corporation.
Due
to some irregularities, some influential persons obtained water
connections from the main pipelines, which was one of the reasons for
inequitable distribution, Mr. Basha said.
D.L. Narayan, Commissioner, said 502 such unauthorised connections had been identified.
Efforts
were being made to identify the problem with the distribution system,
which was very old. The Minister instructed him to disconnect
unauthorised connections and streamline the system.
