RAJAHMUNDRY: The Godavari Pushkarams, which is scheduled to be conducted in July, 2015, is posing a challenge to the Municipal Corporation of Rajahmundry (MCR) in providing drinking water to the pilgrims as well as maintaining clean water at the ghats in river Godavari.
About 30 lakh pilgrims are expected take a holy dip in the Godavari every day during the 12-day festival. July being the season of floods, the river will be polluted with mud during the festival time.
With this, the MCR officials are scratching their heads as to how to supply safe drinking water and also maintain cleanliness at the bathing ghats.
At present, MCR is pumping the drain water upstream of the existing head water works.
Along with the drain water, the effluents released from AP Paper Mill also flow into the river.
With this, though MCR supplies water after treating it as per standard norms, the people are worried about its safety.
At present, the MCR is unable to supply sufficient drinking water in the city whose population is 3,43,303.
The MCR has allotted `35.44 crore to supply drinking water to the pilgrims during the Godavari Pushkarams. As part of this, water pipelines will be laid on a stretch of 15 km with taps wherever necessary. Drinking water will also be supplied through water tankers at the tents where pilgrims are put up.
Presently, the Corporation is supplying drinking water through tanks in some areas where the problem is acute.