Doing well despite constraints

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, SEPT. 14. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is in charge of providing clean and safe drinking water to one of the fastest growing cities in Asia.

This unenviable task along with providing sewage facility to the sprawling City was entrusted to the BWSSB in 1974. In spite of several constraints, the board has been trying hard to discharge its duties to the citizens, says the BWSSB Chairman, Mr. M.N.Vidyashankar.

Prior to 1896, unfiltered water was supplied to Bangaloreans in the Karanjee system from a number of tanks supplemented by local wells. The first scheme of protected water supply called Chamarajendra Water Works was undertaken in 1894 from Hessaraghatta Lake (which still augments the City's water supply), when Sir K.Seshadri Iyer was the Dewan of then Mysore State. The Thippagondanahalli Dam across Arkavathy River was built in 1926 on the recommendation of the Sir M.Visvesvaraya Committee.

To meet the urgent need for creating new sources of water supply and to keep pace with the growing needs of the City, an experts' committee was formed in 1958 by the State Government. The committee recommended tapping the perennial Cauvery.

The dream of supplying Cauvery waters to Bangalore was made a reality by the BWSSB on January 24, 1974. A total potential of bringing 540 MLD from the I,II and III stages of Cauvery was created by May 1993, which accounts for 80 per cent of the total supply of 614 MLD. Significantly, water is being brought to Bangalore from a distance of 100 km. and pumped to a head of 500 metres in three stages. About 70 per cent of the total revenue of the board is paid as power charges. A coastal city would not have to account for this factor.

The Cauvery Water Supply Stage IV, Phase I, work to bring an additional 270 MLD of water is going on at a fast pace and is expected to be completed as scheduled by March 2002.

Between 2001 and 2003, the BWSSB has several infrastructure works to be completed. These include eight ground level reservoirs at a cost of Rs. 872.48 lakhs and replacement of corroded pipes to a length of 40 km. and use of mechanical leak repair clamps.

The information technology related works taken up include development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) for the remaining 190 sq. km. of the City, Distribution Automation in pilot areas of the South Division by June 2003, computerised networking of service stations, sub-divisions and divisions with hqs. by December 2003 and training programmes for engineers at various levels by June next year.

The board has to urgently augment its income since it now has a deficit of Rs 5.50 crores a month and is defaulting on debt repayment and debt servicing. The long overdue tariff hike requires Government approval. Arrangements are being made for settling outstanding dues to the board from different organisations and for payment of dues to the KPTCL.

It has also planned to collect arrears from ``water stopped'' connections, which may amount to Rs. 2 crores in 2001-02 and Rs. 2 crores in 2002-03. There will also be greater outsourcing of many activities such as sanitary services in service stations, including repairs and maintenance of pumping stations by January 2002.

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Section  : Southern States
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