Meeting discusses steps to ensure water supply and distribution
Principal secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, P. Senthil Kumar chaired a joint district review meeting on seamless water supply and distribution for Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts here on Friday. The meeting was presided over by Collector K. Shanthi at the Collectorate.
‘Plug leakages’
Mr. Kumar instructed o¤cials to hold periodic reviews with the panchayat secretaries, overhead tank operators and the deputy block development o¤cers to plug leakages in the overhead tanks, to plug wastage and pilferage of water; and to address complaints of water shortage immediately without delay.
Further, he also instructed the rural development o¤cials of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri to avoid wastage of drinking water supplied under the Hogenakkal Drinking Water project.
Further, the o¤cials were asked to identity illegal water connections and immediately disconnect/ regularise those connections.
The principal secretary also called for eective gauging of water supply as per the standards laid out by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board; and where the standard distribution is not being met, the o¤cials were asked to address the reasons and remedy them in consultation with the TWAD Board o¤cials.
Rural Development Department must step in to nd local water sources, wherever TWAD Board is unable to supply water. Repair
of motor pumps and leakage and breaks in pipelines must be repaired and brought to public use without delay.
Mr. Kumar also advised coordination between the Tangedco and the Rural Development Department in rendering seamless water supply.
He called for conversion of single-phase power supply to three-phase power supply to enable water supply, and address complaints of power §uctuations hindering water distribution.
He underlined the need to expedite works currently under way in schools before the schools reopen for the next academic year. Further, all water supply works under way on contract basis in Salem, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri must be completed in a time-bound manner without delay, he said.