Reappointment of valvemen and meter readers, who were earlier on contract in Hubballi, ordered

In a big relief to contract employees of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB), whose services had been terminated, the municipal commissioner has been directed to reappoint them.

In a big relief to contract employees of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB), whose services had been terminated, the municipal commissioner has been directed to reappoint them.

Managing Director of Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) Deepa Cholan gave this direction to the municipal commissioner to reappoint all the 220 employees who worked for KUWS&DB earlier.

Participating in a workshop organised to assess the water supply scenario in Hubballi-Dharwad on Wednesday, she gave this direction to the municipal commissioner after councillors of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, cutting across party lines, made a demand for reappointment of valvemen and meter readers who earlier worked on contract basis.

Ms. Deepa Cholan said that it is evident that drinking water supply in the twin cities has been largely affected because the contract staff has not been reappointed yet. She asked the municipal commissioner to initiate the process of reappointing the contract staff.

Although the councillors demanded cancelling the tender for water supply maintenance awarded to L&T company, Ms. Deepa Cholan clarified that she did not have the power to cancel the contract as the company has bagged tender for 12 years which included five-year project implementation and seven years of maintenance.

She promised to take up the issue of complaints against the private company with regard to irregular water supply and place it before the senior officials for requisite action.

Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Iresh Anchatageri, Deputy Mayor Uma Mukund, Opposition leader Doreraj Manikuntla, municipal commissioner B. Gopalkrishna, Major Siddalingayya Hiremath of KUIDFC and others were present.