Corp stepping up efforts to take over Siruvani water

The Coimbatore Corporation is stepping up efforts to take over the Siruvani drinking water scheme from the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board. In yet another memorandum to the State Government, it has made a fervent plea for the takeover by mentioning how much revenue it can save.The Corporation has also requested for the waiver of Rs. 78.50 crore arrears it owes to the board in maintenance and water consumption charges. The request on the arrears comes in the wake of the Government already waiving Rs. 63 loans the Corporation has to repay.

The Corporation Council has already moved a resolution pressing for the takeover of the scheme and the civic body has also been representing to top authorities of municipal administration. The latest is a representation from Mayor R. Venkatachalam to Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy seeking necessary orders from the Government to allow the Corporation to take over the scheme.The Corporation's move to seek total control follows pressure from the Councillors. They have been demanding that the civic body take up both maintenance of the scheme along with the distribution in the city so that it need not pay any charge to the water board. Instead, the Corporation can earn revenue through consumption charges.

At present, the Corporation buys water from the board at a minimum rate of Rs.4.50 for 1,000 litres up to 50,000 litres. It, however, supplies water to the people at Rs.3.50. Citing huge loss because of this, the Corporation has already indicated in this year's budget of the need to increase the water charges.The councillors are, however, not happy. Some of them have opposed the move for an increase. They have asked the Corporation to take over the scheme so that it need not resort to the charge increase.The reason for the increase being cited now by the Corporation is the money it has to pay to the water board for the purchase of water and also towards the operation and maintenance of the entire scheme.

The Corporation pays Rs. 12 crore water consumption charges (for Siruvani water) to the board every year. The civic body says it need not pay huge sums to the board as water reaches the city with the help of a gradient. When pumping is not required, there are no huge power consumption charges involved, unlike the Pilloor water scheme under which four motors pump drinking water to the city.The takeover will leave the Corporation with an annual expenditure of only over Rs. 4 crore. This comprises Rs. 3 crore to Kerala as royalty as the dam is in that State, Rs. 1 crore for water treatment and Rs. 60,000 to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.

The memorandum explains that the Corporation can improve its revenue by having total control over the scheme.It can provide at Rs. 4.50 for 1,000 litres water to the rural habitations, town panchayats and municipalities covered by the scheme. At the same time, the Corporation can save the money it now pays to the water board and spend it on maintenance.The Corporation has also listed the number of staff it requires for maintenance and the annual salary it has to pay if the civic body takes over the scheme (see table). Another reason being cited for the takeover demand is that the Corporation needs to generate more revenue to fund some major development schemes. In such a situation, it does not want to be seen as making losses in any area of revenue generation.

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