Most of the councillors of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) are steadfast in their demand to retain control of water supply to the city notwithstanding the Chief Minister’s view that it should be vested with the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB).
Though councillors were hopeful of meeting the Chief Minister during his visit to Mysuru on Sunday, they could not do so. Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO) was in charge of the water supply till May 31, 2015, but the contract was not extended as the local body accused it of shoddy work.
JUSCO was given a contract to ensure 24x7 water supply but they could not do so and hence the debate on who should be given the responsibility of supplying water to the city.
Mayor R. Lingappa, who took part in a meeting at Bengaluru last week where the CM favoured vesting KUWSDB with the responsibility, said that the corporation did not receive any orders. “As of now, we demand that the MCC’s resolution that the local body be vested with the responsibility should be honoured,” said Mr. Lingappa. Ravi, former Deputy Mayor, said that the councillors were contemplating going to court as it would amount to overriding the local body’s resolution. “We are awaiting a copy of the orders to be issued by the State Government before approaching the court,” he added.
However, some councillors differ with the majority. Srikantaiah, former Mayor, said that the Chief Minister had explained that it was not overriding the council’s resolution.
It was being kept in abeyance for a year as the MCC did not have funds to take up the work and KUWSDB was being directed to finish the work before it could be transferred to the MCC, said Mr. Srikantaiah.
But the BJP and the JD(S)-combine, at the helm of affairs in the MCC, are convinced that the Chief Minister was trying to snub the local body’s resolution as it was headed by a non-Congress coalition.
Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company
handled the water supply till May 31
Some corporation councillors are
planning to go to court