HDMC Water Company Proposal Shelved Amidst Corporator Confusion
A proposal to establish a City Water Company (CWC) for Hubballi-Dharwad has been put on hold for at least a month following a contentious general body meeting of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) on Saturday. The decision came after corporators expressed confusion and raised sharp questions about the initiative's origins and implementation.
Confusion Over Approval Process and Ownership Structure
The meeting witnessed heated exchanges when BJP corporator Veeranna Savadi sought clarity on what the proposed water company entailed and when the decision had been taken. HDMC commissioner Rudresh Ghali responded that the CWC was being formed to meet a pre-loan condition set by the World Bank and that it was a cabinet decision.
However, when Ghali stated that the proposal had been approved by the HDMC on May 27, 2022, none of the corporators present endorsed this claim. As the commissioner searched for the relevant document, floor leader Iresh Anchatageri countered that the proposal had also been tabled before the general body in 2023 but was rejected at that time.
The discussion intensified when Ghali revealed that the proposal had been approved by the administrator and that only the board of directors had since been changed. BJP corporator Umeshagouda Koujageri questioned why the Dharwad deputy commissioner had been replaced as chairperson by the secretary of the urban development department (UDD).
"When HDMC will have 100% ownership, why is the UDD secretary the chairman of the CWC? This appears to be a plan to sideline the current nodal agency, the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), and curtail the powers of HDMC," Koujageri alleged during the meeting.
Deputy Mayor Questions Commissioner's Knowledge
At one point, deputy mayor Santosh Chawan, who presided over the meeting in the absence of mayor Jyothi Patil, remarked that even the commissioner seemed unaware of the details surrounding the CWC. Ghali, however, went on to explain the importance of the proposed company for meeting World Bank requirements.
Anchatageri demanded that a copy of the World Bank agreement be placed before the council for proper scrutiny. Citing widespread confusion and lack of clarity among members, Chawan ruled that the matter would be tabled again in the next general body meeting for further discussion.
Water Supply Issues Dominate Zero Hour
Meanwhile, pressing water supply problems dominated the zero hour of the meeting. Congress corporator Kavita Kabber lashed out at L&T officials over alleged negligence in the execution of water supply works, accusing them of digging roads and abandoning sites for months without proper completion.
"People are falling into open pits and getting injured due to these incomplete works," Kabber stated during the session.
Echoing similar concerns, BJP corporator Tippanna Majjagi reported that water supply remains irregular in many areas, with gaps ranging from four to nine days between supply cycles. "People are questioning corporators everywhere about these persistent water problems," he said, alleging that L&T had sublet the work at lower costs, resulting in labour shortages and poor execution.
Corporators Demand Accountability from L&T
Corporators across party lines demanded that L&T head Hariprasad be summoned to address their concerns directly. Though the commissioner repeatedly assured members that Hariprasad was on his way to the meeting, he failed to attend before the session concluded.
Deputy mayor Chawan eventually halted the discussion and announced that a special general body meeting would be held on February 10, exclusively to discuss water supply problems and seek solutions for the ongoing crisis affecting Hubballi-Dharwad residents.
The meeting also saw a heated argument over deputy mayor Santosh Chawan's refusal to wear a gown at the beginning of the HDMC general body meeting, adding to the day's contentious atmosphere.
