Members cutting across party lines called for taking up the Krishna Drinking Water Supply Project Phase III at the DRC meeting here on Monday. It was the only way out to address the worsening water situation, they said.
The Godavari project was a long drawn affair and the city could no longer depend on Himayatsagar and Osmansagar. “If the phase III of Krishna is not taken up there would be water riots in Hyderabad in the days to come,” warned Sanathnagar MLA, M. Shashidhar Reddy. He said the Union Petroleum Minister S. Jaipal Reddy had stated that funds wouldn't be a constraint for this project. Several legislators wanted the Chief Minister to publicly announce his commitment to Krishna phase III.
Majlis MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, said Krishna Phase III was of utmost importance as the Himayatsagar and Osmansagar had become unreliable. District in-charge Minister J. Geetha Reddy said all the city legislators would call on the Chief Minister and impress upon him the need for taking up the Krishna phase III. Water Board managing director M. Jagdeeshwar said the Tata Consultancy services was preparing a DPR and it would be ready in the next couple of weeks. The Board would then obtain sanction from the government and go ahead.
Growing demand
The Krishna Phase III, which costs Rs. 1,800 crore, would provide an additional 5.5 tmcft of water to meet the growing water demand of Hyderabad. Majlis legislators protested against the poor water supply and pollution problem in their areas.
Mr. Jagadeeshwar said the Water Board had identified 394 km of sewer line for cleaning as part of the 100 days' action plan. Of this, 380 km was completed. He assured that the road restoration works would be completed by July 15. “During monsoon no road would be dug up,” he assured.
GHMC Commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu said 615 km length of nalas were desilted at a cost of Rs. 13 crore. Only a couple of drains remained and they would be attended to immediately.
Mr. Shashidhar Reddy, who is the vice-chairman, National Disaster Management Authority, regretted that the city had no disaster management plan. A workshop will be conducted in this regard next month, he said and wanted all officials to attend it. Mr. Reddy asked the civic body to complete pre-monsoon desilting of nalas by March 31 next year.
