Reasons for erratic drinking water supply revealed under RTI
15 Jul, 2012The quality and quantity of water supplied in the cities has been deteriorating over a period. It has been revealed under RTI that arrears are mounting and may grow bigger with every passing day throwing a bigger challenge for the authorities. The figures for the city of Mysore presents a picture which is true for the whole of the country. It has a total of 1,45,635 connections, besides 29,586 illegal connections.
Reply filed to an application filed under the RTI Act has revealed that water users comprising domestic, commercial and industries together owe Rs 63.66 crore including the interest of Rs 25.02 crore (up to March 2012) from over one decade to Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW), Mysore, Karnataka.
Out of these, a total of 13 government departments owe Rs 13.86 crore.
- The rural development and panchayat raj department Rs 8.30 crore from six connections,
- Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd., (KPTCL)- Rs 1.45 crore from five connections
- Education department- Rs 1.34 crore from 33 connections,
- Railways- Rs 1.20 crore from eight connections,
- Health and family welfare- Rs 45.65 lakh from six connections,
- PWD- Rs 34.30 lakh from eleven connections,
- Medical education- Rs 28.49 lakh from four connections,
- Police- Rs 25.90 lakh from eleven connections,
- Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd.,- Rs 15.89 lakh from six connections,
- Judicial employees- Rs 3.27 lakh from eight connections,
- horticulture- Rs 1.62 lakh from three connections,
- MUDA- Rs 1.09 lakh from three connections, and
- Exhibition authority- Rs 19,846 from one connections.
Many private industries owe a lot of money to the VVWW:-
- M/s Kamsem Industries Ltd.,, No 99, KRS road, industrial area, Mysore owes Rs 1.77 crore among the list of 97 industrial water connections,
- Raviprasad, K J Electricals, No 44/47, KRS road, industrial area- Rs 38.34 lakh
- Chamundi Machine, No 52, KRS road industrial area- Rs 22.47 lakh.
Till the matter is taken up at high level and a drive will be launched with dedicated teams, the arrears are likely to rise.