On the occasion of World Water Day, a voluntary organisation, youth for social development (YSD) organised meetings and street plays in various slum areas in the city to create awareness of the need for conservation of water and its systematic supply to the slum dwellers.
At a meeting held at Lanjipalli on Friday, the speakers opined that provision of clean, safe and affordable water still eludes slum dwellers. Berhampur, one of the oldest cities in the State, is facing water woes for the last three decades.
The urban poor living in slums and informal settlements are the most disadvantaged in regard to access of water supply and sanitation.
While 66 per cent of slums are not covered under official water supply system, the supply of water in the rest is sporadic.
As per standard norms of Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), supply of water should be 135 litre per capita per day (lpcd). But only 120 lpcd of water is being supplied in Berhampur.
The organisers said the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) does not play a role in water supply though the civic body should provide this amenity as per the 74th Constitutional Amendment.
Only 15.7 per cent of slum dwellers have access to tap water and 31.3 per cent get water only two hours a day.
Besides, 53.5 per cent of standposts have no concrete basement causing serious sanitation problem and 74.4 per cent standposts have no connection to drains to discharge waste water resulting in serious health hazards, the speakers alleged.
All households, Government offices and other buildings should construct proper rainwater harvesting structures to recharge ground water, the speakers added.