Overcoming drinking water crisis a priority: Botcha

He directs officials to prepare an action plan for municipalities facing severe problem

Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana at a review meeting in Tirupati on Friday.

Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana on Friday announced that the government would accord top priority to meeting the drinking water requirements in the ensuing summer, and funds would not be a constraint in overcoming hassles in the process.

The Minister was reviewing the progress of schemes such as housing, drinking water, employment of ward volunteers, services offered in wards, sanitation and town planning in the six southern districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, Nellore, Kurnool and Prakasam, when he instructed the officials to get ready with alternative solutions for drinking water supply in towns in view of the ensuing summer.

He asked the officials to map the situation faced during the last three or four years, and come up with viable solution vis-a-vis tie-up with private borewells and transportation of water, besides measures to deepen existing borewells and recharging the structures.

“We need to have an action plan on hand for the problematic municipalities in the six districts,” he said, indicating that sufficient funds would be pumped in for meeting such exigencies.

Tirupati and Srikalahasti in Chittoor district would be provided Telugu Ganga water, while Chippili storage tank in Madanapalle and Pungamma Cheruvu in Punganur would get Handri Neeva water.

The drinking water needs of Puttur town would be met by sinking borewells, he added.

Aiming to recharge borewells en route, water would be released from Gajuladinne project to Tungabhadra river in Kurnool district and from Velugodu project to Penna river in Kadapa district.

Focus would be laid on Kanigiri and Giddalur in Prakasam district, which depend extensively on groundwater, and also on Naidupeta (Nellore district), which could face crisis after May.

Transportation was the only option in Gooty and Pamidi municipalities of Anantapur, the officials told the Minister.

Housing

Meanwhile, Mr. Satyanarayana also appealed to the Municipal Commissioners to brace up for allocation of houses in G+3 buildings to the poor beneficiaries by Ugadi.

Those who had made deposits earlier for the State government’s prestigious housing scheme would be considered on priority basis, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayana Swamy, Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and State-level officials took part.