BHUBANESWAR: As many parts of Odisha are experiencing acute scarcity of drinking water and over 500 piped water supply projects lying defunct, the State Government on Saturday directed the collectors to install solar pump sets in areas where power supply is erratic.
Low voltage and frequent disruption of power being a common feature during summer months across the State, non-availability of power makes it difficult to supply piped water to households.
The collectors have been advised to identify water scarcity areas where drinking water supply could be possible through solar water pumping system.
Chief Secretary AP Padhi gave this direction while reviewing the availability of drinking water and measures taken to meet the water need of people in water scarcity areas through video conference with the collectors.
Padhi asked the collectors to develop at least 10 solar water pumping systems in their districts without delay.According to Panchayati Raj department, piped water supply is provided to 38,445 out of 1.56 lakh habitations in the State. While the number of defunct piped water projects was 942 in April, the department claimed 432 have been repaired and water supply restored.
The majority of habitations of the State meet their drinking water need from 4,15,558 tubewells and sanitary wells.
Pending power bills are the other major reason behind these projects being non-operational. Though the State Government had directed power distribution companies not to discontinue power supply to water projects in case of unpaid dues, the order is not followed in most places, official sources said.
In the April review meeting of the Chief Minister, it was decided to expedite the process of installation of solar energy-based drinking water projects in the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts like Koraput and Malkangiri. However, the achievement in this front is very negligible.
In its three-year achievements report, the State Government said over 1.30 lakh habitations are fully covered and 25,946 villages are partially covered under drinking water supply schemes. All the partially covered villages will get piped water supply by 2018-19, the report added.