CM assures proper drinking water supply for city

Hyderabad, March 12 (INN): Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday assured the State Legislative Assembly that the State Government would provide 5.5 TMC of water to the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Intervening on the issue during Question Hour, the Chief Minister said that there was no scarcity of funds for drinking water projects for the twin cities.

He said efforts were being made to secure a loan from HUDCO for Godavari project and talks were in final stages.

The Chief Minister assured that the third-phase of Krishna water would become operation by 2013. Similarly, steps were being taken to bring 30 TMC of water from river Godavari.

In the first phase, 10 TMC of water would be supplied to the city from October this year at a cost of Rs 3,375 crore.

Earlier, replying to a question raised by MLAs E Lakshminarayana and G Kishan Reddy of BJP and Akbaruddin Owaisi of MIM, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister M Maheedhar Reddy admitted that water supply scarcity problem exists in the peripheral municipal circles of Qutubullapur, Alwal and Malkajgiri which are situated at the tail end of Krishna and Manjira water supply system.

In order to bridge the deficit upto year 2017, the minister said that the Godavari Drinking Water Supply Project to bring 172 Mgd of water has been taken up and works were in progress and also processed for taking up Krishna Water Supply Phase - III Scheme to augment another 90 Mgd of water.

The Detailed Project Report of Krishna Drinking Water Supply Project Phase-III with an estimated cost of Rs 1670 crore is under consideration of the government.

Further, government proposed to explore the various funding options such as Annuity Model, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Housing and Urban Development Corporation financial assistance.

The project implementation period would be approximately 18 months after administrative approval with financial tie-up.

However, not satisfied with the minister's reply, the MIM legislators rushed to Speaker's podium and demanded a specific assurance from the government on supply of water.

MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi alleged that the Old City areas have been neglected in the supply of drinking water. He said that while the city needed 440 Mgd of water, only 336 Mgd was being supplied.

He said the contractors of Krishna water project have threatened to go on strike from March 15th for non-payment of bills.

Owaisi also alleged that the there was no coordination between the Genco and Water Supply Board which was leading to disruptions in water supply.

He said about 90 per cent water reservoirs in the city work on pumping system and unscheduled power cuts was badly hitting the supply in the city, especially in the Old City areas.

Other MLAs Ahmed Balala, Virasat Rasool Khan and Maozam Khan of MIM, R Damodar Reddy of Congress, Uma Maheshwar Reddy of TDP and Dr Jaya Prakash Narayana of Lok Satta.

On Speaker Nadendla Manohar's directions, the Municipal Administration Minister has agreed to hold a meeting with the city MLAs in a day or two to discuss the issue. Later, the Chief Minister intervened and assured proper supply of water.

However, not satisfied with the Chief Minister's reply, BJP MLA G Kishan Reddy staged a walkout from the House in protest.