The drinking water supply contract with the Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO), which was ending on Tuesday, has been extended for another six months with the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) giving its consent. With this, the confusion over the fate of water distribution in Mysuru city has been put to rest.
After a three-hour long debate in the council meeting here on Tuesday, Mayor R. Lingappa announced the decision to extend the contract for completing pending works that were part of the tripartite agreement signed between JUSCO, the MCC and the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB).
When the meeting began, Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath gave an overview on the status of JUSCO’s contract and projects that need to be completed by the agency.
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If water supply was taken over from JUSCO, the MCC had to spend about Rs. 2 crore every month on the supply. As per the contract with JUSCO, which took over the task of providing 24 x 7 water supply after signing a Rs. 161.89 crore contract, the cost incurred on supplying water (to 1.30 lakh connections) was Rs. 58 lakh, according to a note jointly issued by the MCC (Vani Vilas Water Works) and the KUWSDB.
Mr. Betsurmath later told The Hindu : “The contract has been extended for six months with effect from January 28. The agency has to complete the remaining work within the extension period. We hope that the agency fulfils its commitments within the period.”
The managing director of KUWSDB, in his letter, had sought the MCC’s opinion for extending the contract up to May. This was informed to the MCC council, which specially met on Tuesday to discuss whether the contract with JUSCO had to be extended or not, the Commissioner said.
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However, there is no clarity on whether the JUSCO will continue its service with the same conditions or if fresh conditions have been applied. There was no discussion on this at the meeting.
There was consensus among the councillors for extending the contract. However, they were apprehensive on the apparent “fresh conditions” put forward by the agency for continuing its service. They wanted JUSCO to continue with the same terms and conditions as previously.