Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 2: Dakshina Kannada district administration had issued orders to file criminal cases against those who heap mud on the water pipeline supplying water to the city from Thumbe. But mud continues to be heaped on the pipe, resulting in cracks in the pipeline. It is also true that the concerned are neither warned nor is the mud cleared in time.

Almost every year, pipe underground develops cracks and water gushes out. This affects water supply to the city as it takes a week to find where the pipe has broken. For example, cracks at Kannur took three days to detect last week.

The district administration wants the huge pipelines bringing water to the city to be clearly visible to help timely repair. Now, many commercial establishments, hotels etc have come up adjacent to the highway by heaping mud. As a result, major portion of the pipes are now under the mud.

Even though the then deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim, after a leakage caused water shortage in the city for a week, issued order to clear the mud heaped on the pipe and to file criminal cases against the guilty, now this is not being done it appears. Because, after Kannur, the pipes are not at all visible.

Chief whip of the corporation council, Premananda Shetty, asserts that burying the water pipeline is a serious offence and Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will take stringent steps against violators.