The Hindu : Front Page : BWSSB to be split into four divisions

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Saturday, Nov 15, 2008
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BWSSB to be split into four divisions

Special Correspondent

Each division will have a chief engineer each for water supply and drainage

The new divisions to be created in one month
Each division will cover seven Assembly segments

BANGALORE: The State Government has decided to split the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) into four divisions with an objective to supply potable water to all areas in the city.

Minister for BWSSB, Excise and Information Technology Biotechnology Katta Subramanya Naidu told presspersons on Friday that a decision had been taken to divide the board into four divisions in the city – north, south, east and west. The city corporation limits had been increased with the formation of the Greater Bangalore and it was difficult for the single agency to take up water supply and maintenance work. All four divisions would be formed in the next one month, he said. BWSSB was constituted under the Act of legislature by a notification in 1964 for the supply of safe piped water for residents of the city and safe disposal of wastewater.

Mr. Naidu said each division would comprise seven Assembly constituencies and it would be managed by two chief engineers – one for water supply and the other for sanitation work. Out of 850 million litres of water a day supplied to the city, 150 MLD was lost through leaks. Unauthorised connections in slums and leaking pipes caused what the Minister termed as “unaccounted for water”. Only 450 MLD had been accounted for billing, he said.

A separate wing, revenue enhancement and deduction cell, would be formed to plug unauthorised water connections and enhance revenue collection.

The Minister hoped that the cell would generate additional Rs. 300 crore revenue to the State exchequer annually. A 10-member team had been formed to find out ways to plug the leaks, and it started functioning from Thursday, he said.

The Minister ruled out privatisation of water supplies in the city. There was no such proposal before the Government, he said.

Asked about rainwater harvesting, Mr. Naidu said the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had been instructed to adopt rainwater harvesting in all the 857 parks in the city.

The government departments and agencies too had been told to take steps for rainwater harvesting in their buildings, he said.

Mr. Naidu, who held a meeting with BBMP Commission S. Subramanya and BWSSB officials, said “water adalat” would be held in all wards on five days in a week.

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