He was replying to a host of questions raised by the members in the Legislative Council regarding severe shortage of drinking water in the City. The minister said the work on the Cauvery scheme would be expedited and will be completed before next March.
The committee headed by B N Thyagaraj would be filing a report in next 12 to 18 months suggesting ways of tapping additional sources of water to the City.
However, he did not explain the alternatives being worked out by the government to mitigate the water shortage.
Earlier, R V Venkatesh (Cong) said legislators are finding it tough to face the people with questions on severe water crisis. “We have become so helpless that we switch off our cell phones because we don’t have answers to people’s questions on water shortage,” he said.
While R Sudarshan (Cong) suggested the government to explore the possibilities of bringing water from north Karnataka to the City, Veeranna Mattikatti of the same party said there is already water shortage in the Krishna basin. Also, bringing water from the basin would be expensive.
The minister said many areas of the erstwhile CMC areas which are now part of the BBMP limits have been getting Cauvery water. The areas which are not covered would get water by next March, and the underground drainage work will be completed by January 2014.
Kempambudhi tank
Tabling a question on behalf of Doddarange Gowda, BJP MLC S R Leela demanded the government to pay attention to revive the Kempabudhi tank of Gavipura and immediately stop letting out the drainage water.
Minister Basavaraj Bommai, replying on behalf of the Chief Minister, said Rs 10.85 crore is being spent on rejuvenating the tank. The tank is also being desilted by spending Rs five crore, he added.