The Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC) would henceforth shoulder the responsibility of drinking water supply and management in the municipal area. The BMC would supply 135 litre of safe drinking water to each household in the city as per the memorandum of understanding signed between the BMC and the PHD (Engineering) here on Thursday.
The BMC had decided to bear the water management responsibility at its General Body Meeting held here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Mayor K Madhavi. BMC Commissioner and Chief Administrative Officer Anjana Panda had made a deliberation on provisions of the Odisha State Urban Water Supply Policy 2013, which makes urban local bodies (UlBs) responsible for supply of basic amenities, including drinking water, to the denizens.
However, the administrative control of the two vital water reservoirs of Ganjam district, Dakshinpur water reservoir and Rushikullya water reservoir, would remain in the hands of the PHD. BMC would only manage the available water for proper distribution among the citizens within its territorial ambience, sources said.
As per the MoU, the BMC would make all out efforts to ensure 24 hours supply of qualitative and adequate drinking water to the denizens and will bring necessary improvements in the existing water supply system, including its’ modernization, if required. Among others, Deputy Mayor Jyoshna Nayak, Deputy Commissioner Dipti Mahapatra, Slum Development Officer Sangram Panda, BMC Executive Engineer Ashim Mishra, Health Officer Dr Subhakanta Das and a galaxy of officers were present at the meeting.
It has been estimated that the BMC would take up the project at a cost of Rs 125 crore. The BMC would replace one lakh-metre old water pipelines with new ones. UlB indicators like household coverage, per capita supply of water, extent of metering, extent of non-revenue water, continuity of water supply, redressal of customers complaints, quality assurance, cost recovery, average daily production (MlD) and user charges demand have been stressed in the MoU.