Sindhudurg told to plan ahead for possible drinking water shortage, hamlets to be covered
Guardian Minister Nitesh Rane has directed officials to prepare contingency plans, including for villages outside dam command areas and for hamlets.
The administration in Sindhudurg district has begun preparing for a possible water shortage. Guardian Minister Nitesh Rane has directed officials to plan in advance so that drinking water can be supplied immediately if a shortage arises in any part of the district.
Rane also instructed officials to consider the options available for delivering water to villages outside dam command areas and to hamlets, and to take the necessary action.
A preliminary meeting was held in the Tarini hall of the Collector's office ahead of the meeting of the district-level emergency drinking water determination committee. At the meeting, Collector Trupti Dhodmise briefed those present on the current situation in the district, the available water sources and the likely shortage. P. N. Patil, Superintending Engineer of the South Konkan Irrigation Project, gave a presentation on the district's water resources projects, the available water stock and planning for emergency drinking water.
Villages and towns that may need emergency drinking water later have been told to register their demand immediately. For villages outside dam command areas that need water, officials have been asked to assess tankers and other temporary measures and prepare an estimate of the cost.
Rane directed the irrigation department, the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran, the water supply department and the urban administration department to submit estimates for these measures to the administration within 15 days. The administration will thus get an account from all four agencies of what measures are to be taken during a shortage and what they will cost.
Meanwhile, gram panchayats have been given special instructions so that hamlets in the district are included in shortage planning. They have been ordered to review water scarcity in the gram sabhas under way since October 2 and to finalise scarcity plans. The plans are to be submitted to the zilla parishad by October 10.
If needed, a special gram sabha may be held to discuss the scarcity plan and obtain its approval. The administration has been told to ensure that no hamlet or settlement in the district is left out of the plan.
Officials have also been asked to stress rainwater harvesting, strengthening local water sources and the careful use of available water, to avoid shortages in future. Besides temporary measures, the administration will therefore focus on sustainable water management during a possible shortage.
