Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, K. T. Rama Rao, on Wednesday urged the BJP members in the State Assembly to use their good offices and influence the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre to release the required financial assistance for early completion of all works related to Mission Bhagiratha for providing safe drinking water to every household in the state.
KTR made this request in the Assembly during question hour when BJP member Chintala Ramchandra Reddy asked as to why the citizens of Hyderabad City were being denied drinking water from Manjira Project for which funds were received from World Bank. The member also tried to point out the delay in certain works under Mission Bhagiratha for resolving the drinking water problem of the citizens.
While replying to various supplementary questions by the members from all sides including the BJP member, the Minister suggested to the BJP members in the House to use their good offices to make the central government to release the required financial assistance sought for early completion of Mission Bhagiratha project works to fulfill the state government’s promise of providing drinking water to every household.
The Minister said that the state government has initiated a three-pronged programme for the supply of drinking water — priority for un-served areas, improved performance and replacing old pipe lines. Besides augmentation of Krishna and Godavari waters, dedicated Drinking Water Reservoirs are also being built, he said and added that at present two systems were being followed in the water supply – one for the Gated Community and Apartments and another for individual households and felt that there was need for rationalization of this policy.,
Earlier replying to the main question, the Minister said that at present 430 Million Gallons Per Day was being supplied in the entire service area of HMWSSB. In order to improve water supply on par with core city, the water supply network improvement projects are being taken up for peripheral municipal circles of GHMC and they are nearing completion. Also to accomplish the Government vision for drinking water under Mission Bhagiratha, the water supply net-work project to 190 villages/habitations situated beyond GHMC area and within ORR limits also has been taken up and the works were in progress, he explained.
KTR informed that the water supply project taken up for peripheral municipal circles consisted of construction of 56 Nos. of storage reservoirs and laying of inlet feeder mains, outlet and distribution network for a length of 1900 kms at a cost of Rs.1900 crores with Rs.1700 cores HUDCO loan and balance Rs,200 crores through budgetary support of state government. Similarly for the 190 villages/habitations within ORR, the project was taken up to envisage construction of 180 storage reservoirs, laying of inlet, outlet and distribution network length for about 2100 kms under Annuity Mode of contract, he added.
The Minister also informed that an expenditure of Rs.987 crore was incurred so far for the water supply project in peripheral circles of GHMC. The project for 190 villages within ORR was taken up under Annuity Mode of Contract, the initial investment is by the bidder which would be paid after completion of the project over a period of seven years. Hence the expenditure as on date for project is nil, he added.
KTR assured TDP member R. Krishniah that road restoration work will be taken up immediately after the roads were dug for laying the new pipelines. He also allayed the apprehensions of the MIM members about shortage of drinking water during the ensuing summer months, especially in many areas in the Old City. The State Government would take all measures to ensure that the citizens would not face any shortage of drinking water during the Summer season, he assured. (NSS)