Around 23% of the habitations in East Godavari district, most of them in the Godavari delta, are staring at drinking water problem this summer.
Statistics available with the Rural Water Supply Department suggest that 796 habitations of the total 3,467 in the district are likely to face scarcity of drinking water from mid-May.
These habitations mostly depend on the groundwater which they fetch from borewells. The mandal-level committees have already completed a field survey to identify the available surface and groundwater sources and the maintenance status of the summer storage tanks.
The irrigation authorities have decided to stop releasing water through the canals by March-end to facilitate the Polavaram project works. Further, the water level in the Godavari river also depletes in the summer months.
The authorities have to fill up the summer storage tanks by March-end to ensure supply drinking water for the rest of the summer.
“It has been estimated that 796 habitations in the district would be facing paucity of drinking water by May-end. Nearly 80% of these habitations are in the Godavari delta. A proposal seeking ₹12 crore grant for the implementation of summer action plan for drinking water supply has been submitted to the government,” Rural Water Supply Superintendent Engineer T. Gayatri Devi told The Hindu.
At a review meeting held recently under the chairmanship of East Godavari Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy, the district authorities have decided to transport drinking water to the needy habitations by vehicles.
“We are well prepared to transport drinking water to the needy habitations including those in accessible tribal pockets in the district. In total, 815 borewells have been identified for cleaning as the water has turned muddy owing to the depletion of groundwater level,” said Ms. Gayatri Devi.
