BWSSB braces for Greater Bangalore

BWSSB braces for Greater Bangalore
Deccan Herald

Will Greater Bangalore leave the new entrants into the City limits thirsty? The question might simply not arise if the BWSSB’s augmentation project clicks...

Will Greater Bangalore leave the new entrants into the City limits thirsty? The question might simply not arise if the BWSSB’s augmentation project clicks. Come April, the BWSSB promises to provide 100 MLD (million litres a day) of Cauvery water to the eight urban local bodies.

However, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who launched the Rs 16.15-crore project in the City on Tuesday, was left to answer several questions on the feasibility of the project and the survival of BWSSB.

If BWSSB Chairman N C Muniyappa urged the State Government to review the quantum jump in the workload of the BWSSB consequent to increase in the population covered vis-a-vis its dwindling manpower, Industries Minister Katta Subrahmanya Naidu reminded the government that mushrooming industries would soon add another five lakh to the City’s population.

Science and Technology Minister Ramachandre Gowda wondered if it was about time to look beyond the Cauvery (at the Hemavathy) for Bangalore’s drinking water needs. “BWSSB is catering to five lakh houses and within the next six months, we hope to provide water to 50 wards in the the eight urban local bodies too. We hope to empanel BWSSB to increase its efficiency,” Mr Muniyappa said, adding that a masterplan for sewage management in Greater Bangalore was being prepared under the JN-NURM.

The CM stressed the need for better co-ordination among the departments. “Can BWSSB survive simply by adding numbers? The issue of empanelment will be discussed in detail. Today, I take it up as a challenge to make Greater Bangalore successful. The coalition government may run another 30 months, but before that I hope to give this plan a final shape. We also have to focus on rainwater harvesting, save lakes and give a boost to projects like this (augmentation), which has brought down the cost from Rs 500 crore to Rs 16.65 crore.”

MORE WATER

* Bangalore gets 810 MLD of treated water under the four stages of the Cauvery Water Supply Scheme.

* Rs 16.15-crore project will add 100 MLD to the existing water supply under CWSS Stage IV Phase I