MCC rapped for unwise water management methods

05 October 2009

The Mangalore City Corporation has been rapped by the Urban Development Ministry for its “unwise” water management methods. In a letter received by the MCC the Urban Development Ministry has told the MCC to plan its water distribution in a manner that it does not deprive the people of Mangalore of their legitimate share of water.

The letter which has been kept hush-hush by the officials and the ruling members of the council, says that the drinking and domestic water for the people comes first in the priority list of the administration, the agriculture takes the second place and water to the industries takes the last position in priority list. But the Mangalore City Corporation had planned to supply water to the industrial belt when its water storage facility was not enough to supply water for domestic and drinking water purposes.

It could be recalled here that the MCC had resolved in one of its recent meetings that it would supply water to the Nagarjuna Power Corporation at Padubidri for industrial purposes which had created a ruckus in the meeting. But the MCC even after the ruckus had not taken any steps towards assuring the city of Mangalore of its share of drinking water says Mr. Harinath opposition leader in the house.

Mr. Harinath told Mangalorean.com that People come first agriculture comes next and industries come last in the priority of water distribution. He recalled many occasions when the people of Mangalore had no drinking water but the industries were getting ample of water in the lean season which was nothing but betrayal of people by the Mangalore City Corporation. He said I have the support of few ruling party members also but the Mayor and the senior party members have been asked to lie low by the district incharge minister Mr. Krishna J. Palemar which has enraged the Congress party further. But being a minority party in the council the Congress was feeling not upto the issue.

Former Mayor Mr. Shashidhar Hegde said with the BJP state government clearing many hydro electric projects in the up ghat areas, the Nethravati river will have less and less water in the future and if such an agreement made with the NPC by the MCC it will be impossible to meet those commitments to both civic society and to the industrial lobby. He wanted the MCC to immediately cancel the agreement with the NPC and also strike out the resolution made by the MCC council last month.

In the meanwhile the Urban Development Minister Mr. Suresh Kumar has asked the MCC to redefine its water policy and give him details about the total availability of water from its sources. Officials known to Mangalorean.com have told that the BJP ruled council was underplaying the importance of the letter and was trying to influence the Urban development ministry with the help of the MPs and MLAs of the district. If the ministry succumbs to the influence the people of Mangalore will be doomed.

source mangalorean.com