BWSSB rapped for lapses in slum scheme

While the Cauvery project’s fourth stage second phase appears to have been completed, a portion of it is still pending.

Funded by the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA), the project, which includes a slum development component, is not even close to its completion.

While the project is estimated at Rs2,830.70 crore, the slum development part will cost Rs62 crore.The civil works for this project are yet to begin.

The first phase of the project is expected to end by 2013. The project has identified only 265 slums of which 96 have been shortlisted for the first stage.

Although the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) hopes to complete the civil works on the 96 slums by September next year, this is unlikely since the slums face a number of issues.

As the works come under JICA project, BWSSB floated tenders and zeroed in on one company to take up the Rs39crore project. Officials blame Cauvery fourth stage second phase for the delay in the work on the slum development project.

A study conducted by CIVIC, an non governmental organisation, also shows that many of the slums are in a pathetic condition. They need drinking water badly.

The study says that the water and sanitation  (Watsan) committee, which was constituted by the BWSSB in slums, has no relevance.