Govt. sanctions special funds for alternative drinking water supply amid El Nino concerns

The State government has sanctioned special funds to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in view of possible scarcity due to El Nino conditions, Panchayat Raj, Rural Development and Rural Water Supply (RWS) Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka said on Saturday.

The government has approved ₹120 crore for alternative drinking water arrangements linked to Singur reservoir to cater to Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy and Nizamabad districts, while ₹1 crore each has been sanctioned for other districts to meet immediate needs, the Minister said.

During a teleconference with Mission Bhagiratha and Public Health engineers to review the drinking water situation and preparedness, she directed officials to expedite alternative arrangements using the sanctioned funds and ensure there is no disruption in drinking water supply.

She instructed engineers to map villages where Mission Bhagiratha supply is likely to be disrupted and areas where groundwater levels have depleted, and to make local water sources available, including hand pumps, single-phase and three-phase water supply schemes and open wells.

In scarcity-hit habitations, officials were asked to explore hiring private borewells and arranging tankers for water transportation, she said.

Emphasising water conservation, Seethakka called for taking awareness campaigns on judicious use of water and El Nino impact to the village level and for continuous monitoring of reservoir storage levels as per government guidelines.

She also directed officials to take steps for groundwater recharge, especially in areas like Hyderabad, Medchal, Khammam and Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri which received recent rains. Soak pits and magic pits near drinking water sources should be made functional to ensure percolation, and all ongoing recharge works should be completed within two days, she ordered.