In a novel scheme, the Nagamalai Pudukkottai Panchayat has introduced water supply to its residents through a vending machine system.
As per the system residents will have to drop two one rupee coins in a box and the machine will dispense 16 litres of water purified in a Reverse Osmosis Plant (ROP). This initiative of the panchayat is aimed at providing quality potable water and preventing the spread the waterborne diseases.
The panchayat has installed a RO plant which can purify up to 2,000 litres per hour in NGO Colony. The purified water is dispensed using a valve system controlled electronically through a coin box akin to a public telephone booth. The valve has been calibrated to open for 22 seconds when two one rupee coins were inserted. This dispenses 16 litres of water.
Prakash, a resident of NGO Colony said, “At a time when people are accustomed to use treated water, the civic body’s initiative is a welcome step.”
One could see people thronging the booth with pots and bubble cans, on Saturday, the second day of the paid water-dispensing scheme. Earlier for around 10 days the water was supplied free of cost to test the efficacy of the method.
The panchayat administration also plans to introduce a biometric system for dispensing the purified water shortly. Under this system, residents, who deposit Rs 250 to Rs 500 in advance, would be issued with a miscellaneous receipt and the same will be entered in a computer attached with a thumb impression decoder.
The thumb impression of the person, who deposits the amount, will be captured using a sensor. The person can get water from the booth by simply pressing his/her thumb in the sensor. They will get water till there is balance in his or her account. Once the entire amount is exhausted, the person can once again deposit a particular amount to collect water at the rate of Rs. 2 per 16 litres.
Talking about the scheme KCP Jayakumar, the Panchayat president of the Nagamala Pudukkottai said “We have devised the scheme to prevent water borne diseases. Though the cost of the RO system alone worked out to Rs 6 lakh, the cost of the entire system is around Rs 12 lakh taking into account the sinking of bore well and laying the pipe line for 2 km”.