Over half the contractual period of six years lapsed, the project to remodel, manage and maintain Mysore’s water supply system by JUSCO continues in run in troubled waters.
The Jameshdpur Utilities & Services Company Ltd, continues to draw flak from all sections including the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) and its beneficiary residents in 64 wards in Mysore, the erstwhile royal headquarters over its 161 crore project. A tripartite agreement between MCC, Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board (KUWS&DB) and JUSCO was signed in November 2008 when the Tata enterprise bagged India’s largest water supply and operation management (O&M) project in Mysore. It was the first such project for an entire city to provide 24x7 water supply to its population.
After the initial one-year preparatory phase, the three-year second phase of rehabilitation which involved among other things operation, maintenance and improvement of the facilities and provision of water services in the distribution operating zone should have been at its last stage by now.
However, the progress so far has disappointed the MCC and its councillors, besides the residents, resulting in imposition of penalties on JUSCO for its ‘failure’ to meet the target.
At a meeting convened to discuss the water supply crisis in the city last wek, Mysore City Corporation Commissioner K S Raikar blamed JUSCO for its ‘incapacity’ to handle the projected entrusted to it. His criticisim of JUSCO came with statistics of the past three years.
He asserted that JUSCO has to provide drinking water to 1.75 lakh houses by December 2012 as per the contract. But only 50,000 houses are provided with water supply so far against the target of 70,000 connection till now.
When the project was launched in July 2009, he said a dozen wards facing crisis were identified. In 2011, about 35 areas of the city were yet to get adequate water supply It had complied with only 2,647 complaints out of 4,914 complaints till October last. Corporators attending the stormy meeting demanded termination of the contract and shouted slogans against JUSCO.
The Commissioner however turned down the demand saying ending the contract midway would throw up many problems. He had written to the State Government apprising the situation and to take a decision. KUWS&DB Executive Engineer Subbe Gowda said Rs. 2.5 crore penalties had been imposed on JUSCO.
While the JUSCO officials are being targetted at almost every meeting for their ‘tardy’ progress in excuting the city’s ambitious water supply project, officials hold techincal reasons for their achievement.
In its progress report on its website, JUSCO, however, claims that final rehabilitation prepapartion had been submitted as per schedule and discussions were in progress for seeking approval for submission of draft final investment plan. Interim rehabilitation plan submitted for 11 wards with the objective of starting work earlier than scheduled, to demonstrate benefits to citizens.
