Karnataka - Bidar   

Privatisation of water supply opposed

BIDAR: Members of the Bidar Nagarikara Sangharsha Vedike have opposed the State Government’s move to privatise drinking water supply in cities and rural areas of the State.

In a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Wednesday, the members said that Mr. Yeddyurappa had recently announced that Rs. 53,878 crore was needed to provide drinking water in urban local bodies and all 176 taluks of the State. He had said that Rs. 14,198 crore was required for water supply to rural areas and Rs. 39,680 crore for water supply to urban local bodies.

The memorandum said that after the preparation of a blueprint for drinking water supply, global tenders would be invited from international agencies. By handing over the supply of drinking water to international agencies, the State Government would wash its hands of its responsibility, the members said.

The memorandum expressed apprehensions that privatisation would make water available only to those who had the money to buy it. Slum-dwellers in cities and people in rural areas would have to pay from their pockets to have access to drinking water. Handing over drinking water supply to private parties would mean the elimination of public taps.

The memorandum criticised Mr. Yeddyurappa for not taking elected representatives into confidence on privatisation of drinking water supply. It further said that neither public discussions were held nor had the issue come for a discussion in the Legislative Assembly.

The memorandum urged the State Government to adopt the drinking water supply models of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Goa.

A protest was carried out in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Bidar, and it was led by vedike president Abdul Karim. Members Shivraj, Prithivraj Vallapure and others participated.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Privatisation of water supply opposed

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu