A detailed project report is being prepared by Crisil Corporation, Mumbai.


Mangalore City Corporation will soon finalise a detailed project report on introducing round the clock drinking water supply in the city, according to the Commissioner of the Corporation K.N. Vijayaprakash.

Addressing a gathering on the premises of Thumbe vented dam after Minister In-Charge of Dakshina Kannada J. Krishna Palemar performed "Ganga pooja" to the Nethravathi, Mr. Vijayaprakash said the civic body intended to introduce the 24X7 water supply scheme in four or five wards on a pilot basis. After assessing its feasibility, the civic body would take a decision on extending it to other wards.

"Since October, we have been receiving water for three hours a day.

The detailed project report being prepared by the Crisil Corporation, Mumbai, for the civic body was in the final stages of completion, he said.

He said that Mysore and Gulbarga City Corporations had introduced 24X7 water supply scheme in select wards. It may be mentioned here that in November 2009, the Council of the City Corporation in its meeting had agreed to introduce round the clock water supply in the civic body under public-private-partnership model.

In his address, referring to the new vented dam which was coming up on the downstream of the existing dam at Thumbe, the Commissioner said it would be seven metres in height and 350 metres in width.

It would have 35 vents. Water storage area would be spread in 14.70 million cubic metres. Even if there was zero inflow in the river water stored in the dam in a given year, there would be enough water for supplying for 90 days to the city.

Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) was constructing the new dam at an estimated cost of Rs. 48.37 crores.

Mr. Vijayaprakash said the existing dam was four metres in width.

Though it was designed to store water in nine million cubic metre area, in reality the actual water storage area now stood at 4.50 million cubic metres due to accumulation of silt. If there was zero inflow in the river, water stored was enough for supplying for 20 days to the city.

Mr. Palemar said the Government was planning to supply water from Thumbe dam to Bala, Chelar, Haleyangady, Neerumarga and Moodushedde gram panchayat limits.

The minister said that water from Thumbe dam is now being supplied to Ullal and Mulky and to some villages between Thumbe and Padil.

He asked engineers and the contractor constructing the new dam to maintain quality in construction.

Mr. Palemar said the Government was expected to accord administrative approval to the action plan prepared by the corporation to take up works under Rs. 100 crore special grant sanctioned to the corporation as second instalment.

Mayor Rajani Dugganna was present.