Oct2006-The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Greater Bangalore water supply project, a burden?

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Greater Bangalore water supply project, a burden?: "

The Greater Bangalore Water Supply and Sanitation Project (GBWASP) may result in centralising the decision-making and control while decentralising the debt burden. The city municipal councils (CMCs) served by the project may have to incur debts to finance their part of the funding and pass it on to consumers in the form of increased tariff.This may happen even if the seven CMCs and one Town Municipal Council are merged under Greater Bangalore. A disturbing feature is that while the CMCs incur debts to fund the water supply, they may have fewer funds left for providing civic amenities to the residents. The urban poor in 'non-notified slums' may be left out of the picture altogether.Because the project was developed with little public consultation or disclosure of information, GBWASP appointed citizens' representative Janaagraha, walked out of the project in February this year. Now both Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation control the project design and operation. Elected members of the CMCs have had no part and their role has been left unclear.

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