Karnataka govt pushing through privatisation in districts

The state government has not learnt its lessons from the JUSCO project in Mysore, it would seem, based on the fact that the budget has allocated Rs1700 crore to expand the pilot project of the 24/7 water supply system in demonstration zones of Hubli- Dharwad, Belgaum and Gulbarga, to the entire districts. In Mangalore “the intermittent water supply system will be converted into 24/7 system through private public participation (PPP) mode at a cost of Rs146 crore.”

According to those campaigning against the handing over of water supply to private companies, this is the second mistake that the government has committed.

Rasool Nadaf, Slum Janandolana, said that in Hubli-Dharwad demo zones, people were promised water at a minimum of Rs90, but the bills began running high and many now owe the companies Rs10,000 and more as they were unable to pay the high bills. “There is no stability in the price of water and the charges keep rising, similar to petrol prices. It is a mistake that the government is doing. They should not expand it,” he said.

Babu Rao, another campaigner from Gulbarga, said that the programme was acceptable only for rich people. “The poor people in slums cannot buy the water. This is not only unfair, but also denies them the basic right to water,” he remarked.

This is betrayal of the state, not just of the current generation, but also future generations, according to Kshithij Urs of the People’s Campaign for Right to Water.