The Hindu       18.03.2016 

Disconnect illegal water connections, Ballari corporation official told

The inept handling of drinking water supply by Ballari City Corporation came in for severe criticism at a meeting here to review the preparedness to overcome the likely drinking water crisis this summer.

Presiding over the meeting, Sameer Shukla, Deputy Commissioner, observed that except Ballari city, all other urban local bodies and also panchayats had been ensuring supply of drinking water once in two or four days. In Ballari city, water was being supplied once in eight or ten days, despite adequate bulk supply on a daily basis, which only goes to show that the distribution system was faulty and giving room for doubts over water misuse.

He directed the Executive Engineer of the Corporation to launch a drive to disconnect unauthorised connections provided to the raising mains and main distributaries besides booking criminal cases against those who had violated the rules.

“Check all hotels/lodges, nursing homes, commercial complexes, apartments as to whether they have taken connections directly from the raising mains. If there are violations, register criminal cases against the owners without any hesitation. I want a day-to-day report on the outcome of the drive. In case there is resistance/protest, inform me or Assistant Commissioner or Tahsildar. We will come to the spot with adequate police force and get the unauthorised connections disconnected,” he said and added that “it is high time you (officials) took appropriate action failing which you will be responsible for the deepening of the drinking water crisis.”

Thimmappa, Executive Engineer, informed that zone-wise teams would be formed to look into the matter.

‘Check all hotels, lodges, nursing homes, commercial complexes and apartments’