convinced the then CM Ramakrishna Hegde to take back VVWW when it became obvious that MCC cannot manage it. KUWS&DB took over the operations only after water tax rates were increased as per the agreement. Within three years, MCC managed to get back VVWW and Mysore has ever since been having water supply problems-worsening every year. Not that KUWS&DB would have done a great job ( just take a look at another public sector utility company, Chescom which is supplying power to the city). At least there was greater chance of having some technical competence and a hope of better management with minimum political interference. When JUSCO, a Tata company was given the contract in 2008 to improve the water supply in Mysore, we had the chance to become the first city in India to have 24 X 7 water supply. Unfortunately we failed to make use of that opportunity. There has been no detailed study done to find out the reasons for the failure. An article in Livemint blamed the government for not having a proper public private partner ship model. If JUSCO had to invest in the project, results could have been different. Two independent consultants hired by JUSCO from IITK and IITM concluded that MCC, the client should have given better cooperation in the implementation. In my view both JUSCO and MCC are at fault. JUSCO did not have competent team of technical and managerial personnel. From the beginning, VVWW, KUWS&DB, Corporators, and Commissioner failed to give full cooperation to a contractor they had hired. There were unproven allegations that some of the corporators were frustrated for not getting the usual mamul. Finally JUSCO left in 2015. But VVWW/MCC was not at all ready to take over the assets created by JUSCO. As a result city failed to make proper use of the assets created by spending Rs 250 crores. When JUSCO was departing, Mysore had three alternatives – MCC to take back VVWW operations, KUWS&DB to take over VVWW, formation of a separate autonomous company to take over Mysore’s water supply. Though CM, Siddaramaiah, MLAs and the then commissioner, Dr. Betsurmutt were in favor of the second alternative of KUWS&DB taking over VVWW, corporators were in favor of MCC. Finally the corporators won and problems of Mysoreans started to worsen.
In August 2016 when water level was below 100 ft in KRS which was the third time this decade, did MCC take any steps to prepare for water crisis? In a recent council meeting corporations were discussing whether to repair a stand by pump or to buy a new one as though they have the expertise to decide on that. Less said the better about the unpaid water bills. Each year there is the drama of media publishing the photos of some high MCC officials disconnecting water connections for non payment. If MCC is really serious, this is not a difficult task. These are just some examples to show how MCC is not capable of managing Mysore’s water supply. It is high time that we the citizens get involved to put pressure on the government to hand over the water supply to an autonomous company with technically competent management. As a first step we should ask the government to transfer the control of VVWW to KUWS&DB immediately. MGP has been trying to promote this idea of a separate company for over 20 years with no success. “To make use of this year’s water crisis and not allow it to go to waste” Mysoreans should come together and demand it. They should form a Mysore Water Committee with all the MLAs as members to convince corporators to hand over the control of VVWW to KUWS&DB as their predecessors did in early 90s. To put pressure on the corporators, there may be a need to start a petition drive to convince them that the majority of the public are in favor of such a transfer. If we the people keep quiet and not get involved in this movement to stop the long suffering of Mysoreans on a permanent basis, water crisis will only worsen in years to come. 2018 Mysore Grahakara Parishat — Without people involvement, development is not possible in a democracy. Bhamy V. Shenoy MGP has completed 26 years. In the light of longevity of NGOs this is no less an achievement. The purpose of the article is to argue that development in a democracy
is not possible without the involvement of people in large numbers. Every city needs strong NGO movement to give platform for people participation. MGP has been such a platform for those interested to get involved to contribute to Mysore’s development. It would be presumptuous to assume that everyone has high opinion of what MGP has been able to accomplish during past twenty six years. However, in the light of acceptance of its comments, suggestions and opinions by most of the stakeholders of the city,[like the administration, media and the general public], one can easily conclude that MGP has succeeded in establishing a high degree of credibility in the city. This has been possible mainly because it has always taken up hundreds of causes to serve Mysoreans without any fear or favour. It has helped thousands in a direct manner by helping them to solve their individual problems. List of civic issues taken up is a long one. Some of the success stories are: Developing a Smrithi Park around Laxmikanta Temple in Hebbal; developing a Coupon System to eliminate corruption in PDS kerosene; saving Cheluvmba Park when an office/residential building was constructed, saving People’s Park from total extinction, contributing to save lakes in and around Mysore like Kukkarahalli, Lingambudhi, Karanji; filing a PIL against Vikrant Tyre company to control burning of high sulphur fuel oil; closing down a polluting company processing old lead batteries; convincing education departments to stop announcing SSLC and PUC rank holders and also to give access to answer papers; preventing the construction of rope way project and Canopy over the steps, plan to widen the road into four lanes in Chamundi Hills; preventing widening of NH212 passing through the city and diverting it to Ring Road. However in some fields achievements were only partial. MGP’s C V Nagaraj has conducted thousands of food adulteration demonstration, but adulteration is still rampant in the city. Building bye-laws are continued to be violated on a large scale despite MGP’s efforts in exposing many such violations. Comprehensive Development Plans only serve the land mafia and not the citizens even when MGP has worked with the authorities on every CDP since 1989. MGP’s relentless efforts to improve water supply had no appreciable results. MGP suggested Self assessment tax system to improve MCC’s revenues. But there is still a long way to reach the potential. Protest against judicial system to reduce adjournments and improve justice delivery system had no success at all. It was MGP which had made the suggestion to break earlier KEB into five professional companies and also to have an independent administrative body to monitor their