Governor Asks Officials to Ensure Safe Drinking Water
Published: 08th April 2014 08:53 AM | Last Updated: 08th April 2014 08:54 AM | A+A A-
With the onset of summer, governor ESL Narasimhan has directed the officials concerned to ensure supply of safe drinking water to people across the state.
Speaking at a review meeting held here on Monday, he asked the officials to take steps for recharging of the ground water table with compulsory maintenance of rainwater harvesting pits on the premises of all multi-storeyed residential complexes and business houses.
Reacting to the presentations made by the officials, the governor said that all the welfare schemes were aimed at increasing the lot of the common man but monitoring of their implementation at the grass-root level was important and that crucial link was missing.
He asked medical and health department officials to be on alert and keep medicines adequately at all Primary Health Centres (PHCs), particularly in tribal and remote villages, to combat any water-borne diseases during the summer.
Officials of the municipal administration and panchayat raj departments gave a presentation on the status of drinking water sources and water distribution to various habitats in the state.
Principal secretary (MAUD) SK Joshi informed the governor that necessary steps had been taken for supply of safe drinking water to all citizens at the rate of 70 to 150 litres to every household as per norms. In case of need, water will be transported by tankers.
Hyderabad water board managing director J Syamala Rao said the levels of reservoirs in and around Hyderabad are at 21.713 tmcft as against the full tank level of 39,783 tmcft which is sufficient to meet the drinking water needs during this summer.
He said water is being supplied to every household on every alternate day in the core area of GHMC and once in two or three days in peripheral areas.
Under the summer action plan, the board has sanctioned Rs 35 lakh each to operation & maintenance division to take up repairs to electrical installations or desilting of sewer lines.
He said there were about 600 km of transmission and 7,980 km of distribution pipelines in Greater Hyderabad with a total of over 8 lakh connections. Water would be supplied round the clock through tankers in case of need, he said.
