Simmering dissent over water project
TIMES NEWS NETWORK - M L Kapur
27 Nov, 2006 2327hrs IST
HUBLI: The 24x7 drinking water supply demonstration project in select wards of Hubli and Dharwad is facing opposition from residents of the target areas even as it is nearing completion.
While some NGOs have raised objections on why it is being taken up in areas already covered by municipal water supply network, ignoring the uncovered areas, others oppose its implementation by an MNC.
But the strongest opposition to the project comes from slum areas of Wards 7, 8, 9 and 10 in Dharwad where residents are apprehensive that their water bill will shoot up manifold once it becomes operational by March next.
A meeting with the residents of these wards, held last Sunday by HDMC commissioner P Manivannan to clear their doubts, turned unruly and had to be cancelled in the face of determined opposition to the project. It will now be held next Sunday.
Similarly, at a meeting of representatives of NGOs and resident welfare associations (RWAs) called here last Saturday, Hubli Citizens’ Forum president D M Shanbag wanted to know if India lacked the expertise to implement such a project.
Shanbag was critical of the very concept of implementing it in affluent wards of Hubli which were already getting twice a week water supply even while more than half the city was not covered by the municipal water supply system.
He asked: “What is the fun in duplicating supply in some selected areas without first covering the entire city? The builder-operator has not invested a single penny, so why give it any commission on water tariff collection? Will it not be an additional burden on consumers?”
According to some experts, the selection of wards under the project was not done on scientific basis taking into account the willingness and paying capacity of the people covered.
“It was done on political considerations,” they said. They pointed out that “when the wards to be covered under the project were being identified, the then mayor favoured his ward and adjoining areas in Hubli, while the then leader of opposition in the HDMC council went for her ward and the adjoining areas.”
Another area of concern for consumers is the high cost of getting connection under 24x7 scheme and uncertainty over the water tariff structure. The NGOs engaged in the project were expected to convince the target population about its benefits, but they failed on this count.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK - M L Kapur
27 Nov, 2006 2327hrs IST
HUBLI: The 24x7 drinking water supply demonstration project in select wards of Hubli and Dharwad is facing opposition from residents of the target areas even as it is nearing completion.
While some NGOs have raised objections on why it is being taken up in areas already covered by municipal water supply network, ignoring the uncovered areas, others oppose its implementation by an MNC.
But the strongest opposition to the project comes from slum areas of Wards 7, 8, 9 and 10 in Dharwad where residents are apprehensive that their water bill will shoot up manifold once it becomes operational by March next.
A meeting with the residents of these wards, held last Sunday by HDMC commissioner P Manivannan to clear their doubts, turned unruly and had to be cancelled in the face of determined opposition to the project. It will now be held next Sunday.
Similarly, at a meeting of representatives of NGOs and resident welfare associations (RWAs) called here last Saturday, Hubli Citizens’ Forum president D M Shanbag wanted to know if India lacked the expertise to implement such a project.
Shanbag was critical of the very concept of implementing it in affluent wards of Hubli which were already getting twice a week water supply even while more than half the city was not covered by the municipal water supply system.
He asked: “What is the fun in duplicating supply in some selected areas without first covering the entire city? The builder-operator has not invested a single penny, so why give it any commission on water tariff collection? Will it not be an additional burden on consumers?”
According to some experts, the selection of wards under the project was not done on scientific basis taking into account the willingness and paying capacity of the people covered.
“It was done on political considerations,” they said. They pointed out that “when the wards to be covered under the project were being identified, the then mayor favoured his ward and adjoining areas in Hubli, while the then leader of opposition in the HDMC council went for her ward and the adjoining areas.”
Another area of concern for consumers is the high cost of getting connection under 24x7 scheme and uncertainty over the water tariff structure. The NGOs engaged in the project were expected to convince the target population about its benefits, but they failed on this count.
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