[ಕನ್ನಡ ಅನುವಾದ ಶೀಘ್ರದಲ್ಲೇ ಬರಲಿದೆ — Kannada translation coming soon]
First act of VVWW drama took place in 1983. The then Mayor P. Viswanath requested the Chief Minister Ramakrhsna Hegde to transfer the management of VVWW to Karnataka Water supply and Drainage Board (KWSDB). Till then Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) was managing VVWW. Corporators at that time agreed to increase water tax to convince KWSDB to take over VVWW!! Unfortunately within three years, MCC was back in the saddle to manage VVWW till 2008. After a tripartite contract (MCC, KWSDB and JUSCO) was signed to supply 24 x 7 water to Mysore, JUSCO took over the management of water supply till 2013. In 2013 as JUSCO was getting ready to unwind its operations, Mysuru was considering three distinct alternatives as follows. 1. MCC to take over the water supply responsibility and to manage the water supply through VVWW. The old system. 2. To hand over the responsibility to KWSDB as recommended by the then CM, Siddaramaiah. 3. To form a new and independent company, similar to the one in Bengaluru, to own and operate VVWW. Since 1996, Mysore Grahakara Parishat has been urging the political leaders to form a separate body like the one for Bengaluru to manage Mysuru’s water supply with no result. In 2007 when Karnataka was under governor’s rule, MGP succeeded in convincing Krishna Kumar (earlier he had served as MD of Vikrant), advisor to governor in handing over VVWW to KUWDB. However in the last minute some political leaders sabotaged the deal. The then commissioner, Betsurmatt recommended the second alternative while several NGOs and experts supported the third alternative of an independent body. Unfortunately because of the misuse of 74th amendment to the constitution which gives the right to urban local body to ensure water supply, MCC council had the power to over rule the CM and voted for the first alternative
to control VVWW. In short it was the replay of the act of late 80s when MCC took back the control of VVWW. Now the new act in the old drama with new actors has started. MP Pratap Simha, MLA G T Devegowda, MUDA Chairman H. V. Rajeev and supposedly BJP corporators are all opting for alternative three of forming a separate body to manage VVWW. DC Rohini Sindhuri and also MCC Commisioner, Shilpa Nag are also in favor of the third alternative. In recent days, new sub plot is being enacted to adapt a fourth alternative. This will hand over the responsibility of supplying water to 52 villages surrounding Mysuru to KWSDB while MCC will control VVWW. This Tughlakian strategy of two different entities utilizing more or less the same infrastructure will be a disaster for Mysureans. But it will meet the needs of our cooperators. If political leaders were to seek professional advice to best manage VVWW to serve Mysureans in the most optimum way to serve Mysureans, they will be advised to adapt the third alternative of an independent body to manage VVWW. They will also be advised to have an independent regulatory commission to approve water charges and monitor a natural monopoly like Water Supply just like Karnataka Energy Regulatory Commission for CESC. What is compelling corporators not to lose control of VVWW? It is because they are able to monetize their political power by controlling the operations of VVWW. It gives them the power to force the staff of VVWW to show undue favors to consumers who may have illegal connections, or those who may not be paying their bills, to supply tanker water out of turn etc. In some ward of Mysuru there has been even 24 x 7 water supply thanks to the interference of some powerful corporators when other wards are suffering of water shortage. According to statistics provided by VVWW in 2017, 15% of consumers have illegal connections (likely an under estimation), and 50% of the meters are not working properly. No company can work for long if it fails to recover its total cost of operations. When JUSCO was getting ready to leave, MCC was not ready for transition. Most of the assets – software and hardware installed by JUSCO was unitized and there has never been a study to hold any one accountable. For most corporators long term is just one election. A random visit to the executive engineer of VVWW will
convince how political interference by corporators has affected adversely the operations of VVWW. As discussed above, this time with all the stars aligned optimally, curtain may finally come down on VVWW drama to usher in a glorious future as envisaged by Sir M Visvesvaraya while developing KRS in 1932. Still we the public should come together to put pressure on our corporators to support the idea of an independent and professional body to manage VVWW. If we had ward committees at this time as per 74th amendment, they would have facilitated such public discourse. (Bhamy V. Shenoy, as USAID consultant was in charge of restructuring a gas company in Georgia which had similar problems like VVWW) (March 23, 2021) Mysuru’s Tourism: Battle Royale between Promoters and Environmentalists. Helipad Bhamy V. Shenoy Mysuru already has an unparalleled heritage of palaces, old buildings with attractive architecture, colonial era office buildings still maintaining greenery, lakes with stunning natural beauty, more than 400 parks to make it a garden city and iconic Chamundi Hill with rich bio-diversity. Mysuru has also received several clean city awards. What Mysuru needs is sustainable development and not the superficial and ephemeral attraction provided by the likes of helicopter tourism or ropeway project to reach the Chamundi Hill or energy guzzling Disney Land type of entertainment at the cost of hundred of trees which provide lung spaces in the city. To the misfortune of Mysuru, Karnataka’s tourist minister, C. P. Yogeeswara who ironically is also the environment minister seems to be keen to promote the above mentioned, environmentally unfriendly projects. If only he could concentrate on improving the already existing attractions – palaces, parks, lakes, greenery, heritage sites, old parts of the town that remind one of the history of Mysuru. Taking up such projects would require