Legislative Assembly Speaker and Mangaluru MLA U. T. Khader on Thursday instructed Mescom to provide electricity connection to drinking water projects in Mangaluru Assembly constituency without delay.

Presiding over a meeting in connection with drought management and precautionary measures taken to face natural disasters, in the office of Deputy Commissioner at Praja Soudha, he said some water supply projects have not been commissioned due to delay in electricity connection to borewells. The government has instructed electricity supply companies (ESCOMs) to provide electricity connection to drinking water projects without waiting for the deposit amount from the gram panchayats. The deposit amount should be adjusted when the gram panchayats get government grant, he said.

Mr. Khader said that while formulating a drinking water project, local problems should be understood and implemented accordingly. The project should be helpful in meeting the water demand for the next 30 years. If necessary, efforts will be made to get special grants from the government for the projects, he said.

The Speaker said that if piped water supply during summer is not possible, drinking water should be supplied through tankers. Government is giving enough grants for drinking water management.

Monsoon issues

Mr. Khader asked local bodies to identify flood prone areas in advance and desilt storm-water drains including ‘raja kaluves’. Enough precautions should be taken in such areas where natural disasters occurred last year.

Chief Executive Officer of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Vinayak Karbhari said that the government has released an additional grant of ₹1 crore to the district for drought management and drinking water supply. Each Assembly constituency has about ₹ 12 lakh grant, he said.