To prevent pilferage, MCC to supply water to rural pockets

MANGALURU: In a bid to stop drinking water pilferage by villages between Thumbe and Mangaluru, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has decided to officially supply water to gram panchayats.
Water pilferage from MCC pipelines between Thumbe dam, located in Bantwal taluk and Mangaluru city has been a major issue of concern for the authorities. In a special drive recently, MCC officials and engineers removed dozens of illegal water connections. Following this, MCC has now decided to supply 10 MLD of water from the upcoming 20 MLD project, which is being developed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, to villages between Thumbe and Mangaluru.
At present, the city corporation lifts 160 MLD of water from Thumbe vented dam and supplies it to 60 wards of the city, Mulki town and Ullal city municipality. However, the city does not receive its full quota of 160 MLD of water due to pilferage by villages en route. Once the work of upgrading the jackwell at Thumbe vented dam and construction of the treatment plant at Ramalkatte are completed under the AMRUT scheme, the MCC will be able to lift an additional 20 MLD .
MCC chief whip of council Premanand Shetty told TOI that the city corporation has decided to distribute 10 MLD of water from the new project to villages in Bantwal and Mangaluru taluks.
"Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat has been providing drinking water through individual household tap connections. Meanwhile, the city corporation will supply treated water from Thumbe dam to houses in Thumbe, Pudu, Kallige, Adyar and other villages on the Thumbe - Mangaluru stretch. Pipeline networks and storage tanks will be constructed in those villages through the Jal Jeevan Mission. The MCC will collect cess from villages for the water supplied from Thumbe. Meanwhile, the MCC will continue drives to remove all illegal connections on the main pipelines between Thumbe and Mangaluru," he said, adding there is sufficient water in the dam.