Mysuru: At least 94 reverse osmosis (RO) plants in Mysuru district have become defunct due to delays in periodic maintenance, leaving many villagers struggling to access safe drinking water.
Current Status of RO Plants
The Mysuru zilla panchayat, with support from the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation, has installed 642 RO plants across 275 gram panchayats. Of these, 548 are functional, while 94 have been locked due to poor upkeep, primarily in rural areas. This situation has raised concerns over the maintenance of public infrastructure.
Cost and Reliance
The rural development and panchayat raj department set up these plants at a cost of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh each. Despite the availability of piped water under multi-village drinking water schemes and the Jal Jeevan Mission, most rural areas still rely on these RO units. People collect 20 litres of water by dropping a Rs 5 coin at these plants. Delays in repairing the 94 defunct units have disrupted access.
Maintenance and Revenue
Officials said the rural drinking water supply and sanitation wing of Mysuru ZP handed over maintenance to gram panchayats, which entrusted the work to contractors at Rs 3,000 per month. Revenue from the plants is used to pay electricity bills and maintenance costs. Officials reported that Rs 3.1 crore has been spent on repair and maintenance over the last three years. With 94 units shut due to motor repairs and other technical issues, the ZP has drawn up a plan to repair them at Rs 1.5 lakh per unit.
Official Statement
Speaking to TOI, Mysuru ZP rural drinking water supply executive engineer Rangaswamy said, "The department will soon repair all these defunct ROs in the district. We will ensure the supply of safe drinking water."
