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Mega drinking water project for State

BANGALORE: A mega drinking water project will be implemented by the State Government to mitigate the problem of drinking water in all 59,630 urban and rural habitations of the 176 taluks of the State. The project cost is projected at Rs. 53,877 crore to be spread over the next five years. Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who chaired a high-level meeting of officials here on Thursday, said the execution of the project would begin in the current financial year. The Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) has been entrusted with the task of preparing the project report.

The Chief Minister instructed KUIDFC officials to prepare the project in time for a presentation at the Global Investors’ Meet to be held in January in Bangalore. The drinking water project would be taken up on public-private partnership, he said.

A sum of Rs. 39,680 crore and Rs. 14,198 crore would be spent on supplying drinking water for residents of rural and urban areas, respectively. The project would take care of the drinking water requirements till 2050, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.

Groundwater is the major source of drinking water for 20 per cent of urban residents and 96 per cent of rural people. About 70 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water is currently being utilised for drinking water, and about 154 tmcft would be required by 2050. Industrial establishments consume 125 tmcft water. The Chief Minister also directed the officials to take steps to implement the rainwater harvesting programmes in rural areas.

Minister for Water Resources Basavaraj Bommai and Minister for Minor Irrigation Govind M. Karjol stressed the need for timely implementation of the irrigation project in Krishna and Cauvery basins, which would also ensure drinking water to basin villages.

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