Rs 50-cr grant to tide over water scarcity

Rs 50-cr grant to tide over water scarcity
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
19 Feb, 2007 0223hrs IST

HUBLI: The state government will soon release a "special grant" of Rs 50 crore to initiate work on the third phase of the Rs 195 crore Malaprabha Drinking Water Project to augment the drinking water supply in Hubli and Dharwad.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa said the state government will release the funds before the conclusion of the ongoing assembly session.

"In all probability, the work will commence within a month or two," he asserted. He said the special grant has been sanctioned keeping in view the acute drinking water shortage faced during the summer in the twin-cities.

"With immediate release of funds for the scheme, tenders will be floated to start the work. The project will also ensure that the twin-cities get drinking water supply daily, instead of twice a week as it does now," he said.

However,Yediyurappa remained non-committal on allocating funds for the project (Malaprabha Drinking Water Scheme) in the budget.

"Let the work start. Then we will see what best can be done to ensure the early competition of the project," he said.

Stating that the state government is committed to the development of Hubli-Dharwad, he also said a sum of Rs 12 crore has been sanctioned for the development of the historical Indira Glass House in Hubli and other parks and roads in the twin-cities.