The State government will apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the need for increased allocation of 30 tmcft of Cauvery water to meet the drinking water needs of Bangalore, Mysore and surrounding areas.
Announcing this after inaugurating the Cauvery IV Stage Phase II project on Wednesday at Jambusavari Dinne in J.P. Nagar 8th Phase, Mr. Shettar said he would again lead a delegation to Delhi.
“We have already met the Prime Minister once in this regard. We will go again as the present allocation of 18 tmcft is not sufficient to meet the drinking water needs of Bangalore. With the new Cauvery IV Stage Phase II project, which will enable Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to draw 500 million litres of water per day (mld), we cannot draw any more water from Cauvery for drinking purposes,” he said.
The 110 villages
Responding to the demand for Cauvery water from residents of the 110 villages en route the Cauvery IV Stage Phase II pipelines, he said: “We will examine this demand and think of ways to meet the drinking water needs of these villages. I assure these residents they will also soon get Cauvery water.”
To supply water to Bangalore Rural, Kolar, Doddaballapur and surrounding areas, the government would expedite the Yettinahole project being implemented across the Netravati. “Till now we have ensured that all projects that were started during our government’s rule have been completed in our tenure itself. Projects such as supplying water round-the-clock (that is on in some towns and cities on a pilot basis) will be replicated in other areas soon.”
Use water judiciously
Calling upon people to use water judiciously, the Chief Minister said: “The day is not far when there will be wars for water. The dispute over sharing of Cauvery water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is an example,” he said.
BWSSB Minister S. Suresh Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister R. Ashok, Bangalore South Member of Parliament Ananth Kumar and MLA M. Krishnappa spoke.
