As reports of water scarcity poured in from various rural areas in Odisha's Ganjam district ahead of peak summer, state's rural development (water supply and sanitation) Minister Pradeep Panigrahi asked officials to address the problem soon.
During a review meeting with officials, the minister emphasised that problematic areas should be identified and plans formulated to ensure proper drinking water supply in rural areas.
Several MLAs of the district, district Collector P Chaudhary and engineers from the rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) department attended the meeting held here on Tuesday, officials said.
Officials have been asked to repair defunct tube wells and revive pipe water projects in the villages.
The minister said that though there was no specific plan in place for digging new tube wells in the district this summer, the government would consider it if the need arose.
Panigrahi sought cooperation of all concerned, including MLAs, Sarpanch and district administration. He also stressed the urgent completion of the ongoing rural pipe water projects in the district.
In the Berhampur division, as many as 151 projects await completion, officials said.
In several pockets, ponds and rivers have already gone dry while tube wells remain defunct or yield little water.
MLA from Aska Debaraj Mohanty said most villages in his constituency were already reeling from water scarcity as the Rushikulya River, their main source of water, began drying up in February.
"The situation will worsen if urgent steps are not taken to solve the problem immediately," former minister and MLA from Digaphandi, SN Patra warned.
