Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 16: The city is growing in all aspects and as expected, demand for water has been rising. As per a survey, the population of the city may reach 10.33 lac by 2046, and the daily water need then has been calculated at 236.6 million litres per day.

Taking into account these things, the state government has approved a scheme, 'Jalasiri', under which water is proposed to be supplied non-stop. Under this scheme, 1,15,036 tap connections are proposed to be provided, which will supply water to 10.34 lac people all 24 hours of the day.

Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation is the nodal agency for the scheme. State and central governments will jointly implement the scheme. Suez India and DRS Infratech companies have got the contract for the scheme. The total cost of this scheme will be Rs 792.42 crore. New tanks along with eight additional boosting pump houses will come up. The scheme is proposed to be completed by 2023 and the firm which has undertaken the contract will execute the work.

Currently, 161 mld water is being supplied but the city receives only 140 mld. As such, water supply will be a problem at the end of the next ten years. There is a proposal either to raise the level of water at Thumbe to seven metres in which case 374 acres of additional land will go under water or alternatively pumping water directly from the vented dam being built at Adyar now. City corporation commissioner Akshy Sridhar, says that with the vented dam coming up at Adyar, it will be possible to supply water without any break to the city.