Mangaluru: State urban development minister, Roshan Baig, has promised to personally evince interest in the matter and take steps to increase water storage level at Thumbay vented dam, on which the city and surrounding areas are dependent for drinking water supply.

The minister also said that he would personally conduct spot visit and then take steps as would lbe felt necessary. He gave this clarification in this connection, when providing reply to call attention motion moved by MLA J R Lobo of the Congress at the assembly session on Wednesday November 30.

Lobo drew the attetion of the miniter to the fact that the height of Thumbay vented dam has been raised to the level of seven metres. Still, as per the land acquired at present, water level can be maintained only up to four metres. Even for increasing the water level to five metres, 45 acres of additional land would have to be acquired. Unless immediate steps are not taken to acquire this land, water problem in the city will aggravate during summer, he stated.

The minister noted that the city corporation has to acquire the land required for the purpose, and that a plan to set aside Rs 35 crore towards payment of compensation to land owners has already been prepared. He stressed that he would soon visit the spot and take all steps as necessary to address the problem on hand.