VIJAYAWADA: The completion of a Rs 49.94-crore protected drinking water project has brought new hope to people suffering from chronic kidney disease in A Konduru mandal of NTR district, often compared with the kidney disease-affected Uddanam region.
The project, taken up under the Jal Jeevan Mission-Amarajeevi Jaladhara programme, was completed within 26 months after Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan accorded priority to the issue. The project covers 21 gram panchayats and 38 habitations, including 15 tribal hamlets, and is expected to provide safe drinking water to nearly 75,000 people.
The project involves a 130-km pipeline network and 12 overhead tanks, supplying 55 litres of treated water per person per day. Krishna water is drawn from the NTPC canal at Ibrahimpatnam, treated locally and supplied to households through tap connections.
According to the government, the previous administration had announced the project but failed to even initiate the tender process. With the Jal Jeevan Mission deadline expiring in March 2024, the project faced uncertainty. After the present government assumed office, the Centre extended the mission by four years and the State released its share of funds, enabling the works to resume.
Pawan Kalyan coordinated with various departments, including Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Revenue, Forest, Environment, Railways and the National Highways Authority, to expedite permissions for the pipeline works.
Earlier, the government spent around ?2.5 crore annually on tanker-based drinking water supply in the mandal. The completed project is expected to provide a long-term solution to the drinking water crisis and help reduce health risks associated with contaminated water.
