Mangaluru, Apr 1: With the second vented dam at Thumbay proposed to supply drinking water to Mangaluru city still under construction, Dakshina Kannada distirct in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai instructed the executive officers of concerned taluk panchayats and assistant executive engineers to ensure that measures were taken to supply drinking water to households in regions which were likely to face water shortage in the summer months.
Addressing a meeting concerning drinking water shortage in the district held at the deputy commissioner’s office here on Wednesday, he said that alternate arrangements should be made by the concerned taluk panchayat executive officers to supply drinking water in gram panchayats and villages where residents faced water shortage in April and May.
Out of the funds allotted to each assembly constituency in Dakshina Kannada by the rural development and urban development departments, meetings should be held by the respective Task Forces in each constituency and measures should be taken to supply the residents with drinking water where there is water scarcity, he said, adding that the concerned taluk executive officers would be responsible for failure in providing drinking water to residents.
A sum of Rs 40 lakhs has been allotted to each assembly constituency in the district for the purpose of supplying drinking water where there was water scarcity.
Mr Rai instructed the concerned officials to undertake anticipatory measures to supply drinking water in regions where there was water scarcity in the previous year. Weekly meetings should be conducted by Task Forces headed by legislators to take necessary measures to mitigate drinking water needs and monitor the steps taken to address water shortage in the respective constituencies, he said.
Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said that an auditing of existing water connections should be conducted to check for water leakages and unauthorised water connections before additional water connections could be provided to households.
Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo said that there should be one-point distribution of water including collection of charges from people in Mangaluru City Corporation limits as an immediate solution for water shortage.
Since the Mangaluru (Ullal) constituency faced partial drinking water problem, health minister and local MLA U T Khader directed the concerned taluk executive officer and other officials to immediately provide temporary water connections to applications for water connections.
The minister also directed officials to control the onset of communicable diseases such as malaria, dengue and cholera by preventing the collection of stagnant water in places such as roadsides, rainwater drains, construction sites and within the compounds of residences.
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