BHUBANESWAR: Restoration of the drinking water supply is still not possible in many flood-affected areas due to slow drainage of water. As many areas of the worst affected Puri district are still under floodwater, drinking water is being supplied through tankers.
According to a status report of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS), 191 villages of 53 GPs under 9 blocks in Puri district are flood-affected. Of the 1463 submerged hand pump tube wells and 56 rural pipe water supply (RPWS) schemes, 280 affected tube wells are disinfected and 19 PWS schemes have been restored through the power supply.
The remaining 37 PWS Schemes will be restored soon after floodwater recedes and completion of washing of the distribution system with repeat disinfection, said the report. Apart from the distribution of water bottles and water pouches, two truck-mounted water treatment plants have been engaged for the supply of drinking water in the affected areas.
In Jagatsinghpur district, 493 tube wells are submerged and 9 RPWS projects are disrupted. While 429 tube wells have been disinfected and four PWS schemes have been restored till Thursday morning. The remaining 64 tube wells and five PWS schemes under Kujang and Tirtol blocks are still under flood water and restoration of which will be possible after the water has receded. Till that time drinking water will be supplied at the distribution points of relief materials and free kitchen centres, said an RWSS officer.
As the flood situation is improving in Cuttack and Kendrapara districts, disinfection of tube wells and restoration of PWS projects are going fast. Of the 1379 submerged tube wells and 62 RPWS-affected schemes, 1360 tube wells are disinfected and 50 PWS schemes are restored with power supply. Nine PWS of the Damapada block and three PWS under the Tigiria block are still submerged and it will take time due to the delay in receding of flood water.
Four blocks of Balasore district - Baliapal, Jaleswar, Bhograi and Basta - are mostly affected due to floods in Subarnerekha and Budhabalanga. Meanwhile, 1,125 out of 1,747 tube wells have been disinfected and 13 out of 14 PWS schemes have been restored. In the seven flood-affected blocks of Khurda district, 411 tube wells and 16 RPWS schemes were left dysfunctional. However, 210 affected tube wells and six PWS schemes have been restored. Restoration of four PWS located in Sardhapur, Brajamohanpur, Balapur and Dhabalpur will be possible after floodwater recedes, sources said.