MANGALORE: The city’s tryst with 24×7 water supply is all set for a revival with newly elected Mangalore City South MLA John Richard Lobo plumping for it in right earnest. The proposal has been hanging fire for some time now given that the previous Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) council headed by the BJP was loathe to decide on implementing this scheme on the grounds it would necessitate a hike in tariff.
After evaluating many models, the civic body had warmed up to the idea of implementing it out of its own funds. Such a move, corporators felt, would give them the power to regulate the water tariff and not leave it to the whims and fancies of a private operator who would otherwise have a say if MCC went in for a PPP model. However, with the idea dragging on for four years, the council dithered on taking a decision in an election year for political reasons.
However, Lobo is not willing to let this idea die a natural death. As former MCC commissioner, he knows quite well the functioning of the civic body. Lobo, who got congratulatory calls from well-wishers, including senior officials of the Asian Development Bank in Delhi, says, “The 24×7 water supply is the way to go about equitable distribution of the water, a large portion of which goes waste otherwise.”
Admitting that ADB officials queried him “out of curiosity” about MCC’s inclination to implement the 24×7 scheme, Lobo said, “The city’s water distribution lines need strengthening in a few places, which will make it possible to implement this scheme without burdening the people.” Incidentally, the Mangalore City South assembly constituency covers central areas of the city, most of which are residential in nature.
Courtesy: Times of India