Solve drinking water supply glitches : CM to HMWSSB

Municipal Administration Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on Friday stated the government will take necessary steps to meet the shortage of drinking water in the city.

Talking to media persons after emerging out of review meeting convened under the chairmanship of Chief Minister K Rosaiah at the Secretariat over the situation on drinking water position in the city, Minister for Municipal Administration Ramnayarayan Reddy said the Chief Minister has directed the officials to make complete efforts to solve the drinking water problem in the city limits.

He said the HMWSSB officials were supplying 335 million gallons per day to meet the drinking water needs of 78 lakh people.

However, the city needs 430 MGD of water to meet drinking water needs of 87 lakh population during 2011, Mr Ramnayarayan stated.

Though the city has 38.771 TMC reserve water, the government lacks the capacity to distribute water to all areas by 2011, he pointed out.

The Municipal Administration Minister said the city needs 650 Mgd by 2031 to meet the estimated Rs one crore 30 lakh population. 

The Chief Minister has directed the officials to improve the water distribution network by taking assistance from the National River Conservation Directorate, he stated.

Mr Ramnayarayan said the government would recruit 250 engineers in the water distribution network to meet the shortage of staff.

Reacting on the illegal tap connections, the Minister said the department would appoint vigilance squad headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police level officer to streamline the connections. The squad consists of 5 CIs, 15 constables and 50 home guards, he added.

The government would regularise the services of 260 NRMs, who complete service of five years, in the municipal department, under GO 212, the Minister revealed.

He said the government has taken a decision to regularise illegal water connections by Sept 30 in the city and called on the people to utilise the opportunity by submitting applications with the department.