’Water from Baje reservoir enough for five more months’

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Dec 28, 2016: Reports indicate that fair inflow of water to Baje Reservoir, which supplies water to Udupi town, which might continue for few days more,  will help supply for five more months, said officials at the monthly meeting here on Dec 27, Tuesday.

As the meeting commenced, member Ramesh Kanchan said that enough precautionary measures should be taken to ensure that there was no water shortage during peak summer.  The officials informed the meeting that the City Municipal Council (CMC) has been collecting information on open wells in the town. In case of emergency, water from open wells would be used for supplying its citizens.  Another member said that a few layouts have been already facing acute shortage of water in Udupi.

Member Yashpal Suvarna urged the CMC to remove silt at the reservoir to ensure that water storage capacity of the reservoir increases. The supply of water to gram panchayats situated adjacent to Udupi should be stopped to ensure that Udupi town do not face water shortage, he said.  City Municipal Council commissioner D Manjunathaiah said that the deputy commissioner has directed the authorities concerned to disconnect electricity connections to the pumpsets for irrigation purpose after January 15.

There was an exchange of words among opposition and ruling members when opposition members raised the issue of suspending the tender notification by Urban Development department for the construction of Visvesvaraya Market on PPP mode.  Responding to it, City Municipal Council president Meenakshi Madhava said that the Urban Development department had not suspended the tender. As there was only one tenderer, it was decided to suspend the tender notification and call for retender.  Not satisfied with the answer, the opposition staged a protest by entering the well of the house. The opposition members demanded a detailed discussion on developing market under PPP mode.

The opposition and ruling members levelled allegations against each on unauthorised buildings in the town. A few of the members urged the authorities to fell big heavy tree branches hanging dangerously over roads in Udupi.  It was decided to constitute a committee to collect complete information on the buildings that are coming up inside Manipal University campus, road and taxes.

When members raised a issue on stray dogs, the officials said that tender has been invited for taking up a drive to sterilize stray dogs. Other matters too figured at the meet.