15 days deadline to L&T to streamline water supply in Hubballi-Dharwad region: Minister

Larsen and Tubro has been given a 15-day deadline to streamline water supply in Hubballi-Dharwad region or else strong measures will be initiated, Karnataka Urban Development Minister B A Basavaraja said on Tuesday.

The minister told the House after former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who is the ruling BJP MLA from Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency, charged the L&T has been irregular in supplying water in the twin-cities.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Assembly, Shettar demanded that the government should initiate measures or else people will be forced to stage protests.

Replying to the charge, Basavaraja said the government is aware of the problem.

He said the Union Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi had chaired a meeting last week in this regard.

''Pralhad Joshi had chaired a meeting and warned the L&T that their contract will be terminated. We have set a deadline of 15 days. Already seven days have passed. We will wait for another week,'' Basavaraja said.

He told the House that the government is committed on the issue related to providing drinking water to the people of Karnataka. When Shettar said even after a week there is no progress in the water supply, the minister said there is one more week to go for the deadline given to the firm to end.