As many as 283 habitations in Ballari district are likely to face a drinking water crisis this summer and the zilla panchyat has prepared an action plan to overcome the situation.
“As of now, none of the villages is facing an acute drinking water crisis. In order to tackle a likely crisis, a Rs. 8.79-crore contingent plan has been kept ready,” Mohammed Salauddin, Chief Executive Officer, Ballari Zilla Panchayat, told The Hindu on Tuesday.
Emergency works had been proposed for revival of schemes, including piped water supply and mini water supply. Retrieval and hydrofracturing of borewells, repairs and replacement of pumps and motors and their energisation, and drilling of new borewells are among the other works to be taken up, he said. Mr. Salauddin said the plan had been forwarded to the government for approval.
In addition, the State government has released Rs. 3.6 crore for the district. An amount of Rs. 45 lakh each would be allocated to eight Assembly constituencies. The taluk-level task force headed by MLAs had been asked to prepare an action plan for the works to be taken up to ease the drinking water supply.
Of the available grant of Rs. 77.33 crore under the National Rural Drinking Water Project for 2014-15, Rs. 49.44 crore had been spent. As many as 85 works were proposed under the multi-village drinking water supply scheme, of which 44 had been completed, 26 were under various stages of completion and 15 were at the stage of calling tenders.
