Mangaluru : The City Corporation officials disconnected three illegal water supply connections from the two main water supply pipelines of the corporation at Adyar on Wednesday.

According to officials at the corporation, residents had taken two illegal connections from the new 18 MGD capacity main pipeline laid between Thumbe Vented Dam and the city. Another illegal connection had been taken from the old 18 MGD capacity main pipeline. They had also damaged a main pipeline while taking the illegal connections. Hence, there was water leakage. The three connections were under the jurisdiction of Adyar Gram Panchayat. The officials said that Krishna Naik, Panchayat Development Officer, Adyar Gram Panchayat, and some local people, who arrived at the spot, opposed cutting the connections. Some people, who initially sat on a main pipeline, later relented after the police arrived. They picked up an argument with the officials stating that disconnecting the lines will deprive them of water.

In one of the video clippings, with the corporation officials now, the PDO is heard saying that the connections existed there for the last 25 years and the panchayat has to supply water to people. The PDO is heard saying that he would speak to the Deputy Commissioner.

The corporation officials are seen and heard advising the PDO to take the connections legally by following the due procedure.

The officials told that a marriage hall near Farangipet had taken two illegal connections from the main line. They were disconnected a week ago. Water theft from the main supply lines of the corporation between Thumbe and Padil has remained a festering issue for the last one-and-half decade. On several occasions, though the corporation had cut some illegal connections, they had either been re-connected or new connections taken.

According to the officials, there could be at least 40 such illegal connections on the pipelines now thus reducing the water supply to the city from Thumbe.

Though the government has plans to supply treated water to people living in areas between Thumbe and Padil through the old 2 MGD capacity pipeline laid between Thumbe and Padil more than three decades ago, by setting up a water treatment facility at Thumbe, it has not become a reality.