THOREKADANAHALLI RESERVOIR : Keeping in view the future growth of Bengaluru city, the government will implement Cauvery Stage VI project, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced at Thorekadanahalli (TK Halli) in Malavalli taluk of Mandya on Wednesday, after inaugurating Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (BWSSB) Cauvery Stage V project.
It will cater to the drinking water needs of 110 villages that were merged into Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2007.
Earlier, BWSSB was supplying 1.58tmcft of water every month to Bengaluru, and with the commencement of Stage V, the city will get 2.4tmcft.
Addressing the gathering, the CM said 2,225 MLD of water is already being supplied to Bengaluru city through different stages. “Cauvery Stage VI, to be implemented at a cost of Rs 7,200 crore, will provide enough water to all citizens of Bengaluru in future,” he said, adding that the project will have nine Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) with a capacity of 500 MLD water. “The cost of drinking water supply is around Rs 5,200 crore, and construction of nine STPs is around Rs 2,000 crore. We aim to make Bengaluru city water-surplus by supplying water to its every corner,” he said.
Siddaramaiah also lauded Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakmumar and BWSSB for executing the 775 MLD capacity Cauvery Stage V project, and said lakhs of people will benefit.
CM takes dig at Oppn
Siddaramaiah launched a scathing attack against the opposition BJP and JDS for doing little to develop Bengaluru. He said HD Kumaraswamy was CM when 110 villages and seven city municipal councils were merged into the BBMP in 2007, but did not give any basic amenities. Later, a BJP government came to power but didn’t do anything. It was during the Congress regime between 2013 and 2018 that the groundbreaking ceremony for Stage V was done, and now he was inaugurating the project.
He said a DPR has been prepared for Mekedatu balancing reservoir, but BJP and JDS MPs do not speak about it before the Central government. “The Centre collects Rs 4 lakh crore as taxes from Karnataka but gives only Rs 60,000 crore in return in stages, while Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh get the maximum amount,” he said.
Forest land marked: DKS
Shivakumar said forest and government land have been identified in Malavalli taluk and Ramanagara for the Mekedatu project. “Karnataka has released 216tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu as against 136tmcft up to September,” he said, and added that stage by stage, the government will solve drinking water problems.
