'Malavoor water supply project hit by politics'.

A multi-village drinking water supply project in Mangalore taluk which was supposed to be over in two years is struggling for completing even after 11 years.

This is the status of Malavoor drinking water supply project for which the source of water is the Phalguni (popularly called Gurupur river). The project has been designed to supply water to 11 villages.

Speaking on 'Malavoor rural water supply scheme, experiences of an academician', S. G. Mayya, a professor of water resources engineering, National Institute of Technology - Karnataka, Surathkal said that the delay was intentional due to 'rivalry in political system.'

'It is a classic example on how a good project can be deliberately delayed,' he said.

The Institution of Engineers and Institution of Valuers had organised the talk. The NIT-K is the consultant for the project being implemented by the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat.

Mr. Mayya said that the project of 2003 should have been ready by 2005. Estimated cost of Rs. 14.55 crore in 2003 had escalated to about Rs. 44.50 crore now.

As of now only the vented dam across the Phalguni at Malavoor has been completed at a cost of Rs. 20 crore. In addition to this, now Rs. 24.50 would be required for constructing water treatment plant, laying main supply line from the dam to the plant, and six overhead tanks for storing water and other allied works.

Mr. Mayya, who is leading a team of consultants of NIT-K for the project, said that the construction of the dam taken up in 2012 was completed in about one-and-half years.

He said that the design of the project made by the NIT-K was 'deliberately' scrutinised twice, by Karnataka Engineering Research Station, Mysore and by a three-member team of retired chief engineers.

In addition, sometime ago it was referred to a professor of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore who Mr. Mayya said did not know what a vented dam is.

He said that former MLA of erstwhile Surathkal Assembly constituency, K Vijaya Kumar Shetty got the project sanctioned to Malavoor.


THE HINDU