Narmada to water parched Bhopal

Water supply from the river would cover the entire city by June 2013

Bhopal is to switch over to water supply from the Narmada river in two days, with a long-awaited, Rs 500-crore water supply project nearing completion.

Water from the Narmada would reach the entire city by June 2013.

According to well-placed sources, customers from higher income groups may have to pay Rs 2,000 per month for their water supply.

The municipal corporation has plans to discontinue water supply from existing sources — the Kolar dam reservoir and the Upper Lake.

Created nearly 1,000 years ago by the historical King Bhoj, the Upper Lake is facing extinction due to pollution. The project, which took almost three years to complete, is currently in the testing stage.

 

It will ease water supply pressure to the city, which requires 90 million litres of water every day.

“We have completed three testing points of the Narmada water supply project. We have plans to start supply within two days. Soon, we will be able to source water from the Upper Lake. We have already discontinued water supply from the Kolar dam reservoir,” a highly-placed government official told Business Standard.

Increasing population pressure has forced local municipal corporation to cut water supply and restrict it to regular two-day intervals.

Incidences of violence, even murders, have been reported over drinking water in Bhopal and Indore during the last few years. Ujjain city, which had received restricted water once in eight days a few years back, was the worst sufferer.

However, the Narmada water will come at little higher prices. At present, there are two tariff — Rs 300 per month and Rs 180 per month. Moreover, it would be sold at a higher price to high-income groups.

“Why should higher income group families not pay Rs 2,000 a month?” ask officials, adding, “The mayor-in-council has rights to decide water supply tariffs.”

The state urban administration department is also under the process of creating a distribution network at Rs 75 crore with a provision of bulk drinking water supply to private colonies.