Officials told to prioritise clean water supply to tackle summer challenges in rural areas

The Hindu

24-04-2025

Commissioner of the Department of School Education and district in-charge Secretary K.V. Trilok Chandra has directed officials to prioritise the supply of pure and chlorinated drinking water across all rural villages in Ballari district during this summer.
He was speaking at a Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) progress review meeting at the Abdul Nazir Saab auditorium in the Zilla Panchayat office there on Wednesday.
'Under no circumstances should contaminated water be supplied to the public. You need to regularly inspect water sources, ensure the cleanliness of storage tanks, test water samples before distribution and verify that all overhead tanks are properly closed,' Mr. Chandra said.
Executive Engineer of the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department Indudhar told the meeting that 82 villages have been identified as vulnerable to drinking water shortages this summer. He added that his department has already prepared water tankers to supply the potentially affected villages.
Mr. Chandra instructed the District Health and Family Welfare Department officers to raise public awareness on safe drinking water consumption, especially during large gatherings and local fairs.
'Patients requiring emergency healthcare services in rural areas should not always be referred to district centres. They must instead be treated locally and sufficient human resources are being deployed to facilitate this,' he said.
Addressing maternal health, the Secretary directed the Health Department to devise effective strategies to combat high blood pressure and anaemia among pregnant women.
He emphasised that ASHAs and anganwadi workers must carry out home visits to ensure that pregnant women regularly consume iron supplements which aids in normal and safe deliveries.
Responding to complaints about poor quality seeds and declining crop yields, Mr. Chandra instructed agriculture officials to take legal action against unauthorised fertilizer and seed suppliers, apart from creating awareness among farmers about certified seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.
'The Animal Husbandry Department should ensure that fodder shortages do not affect livestock. All fodder banks must be stocked adequately,' he stated, while seeking updates from veterinary officials on fodder availability in the district.
When he questioned officers on crop loss during the recent unseasonal storms in Sandur taluk, the Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department confirmed that banana crop suffered loss. He added that instructions have been issued to the local tahsildar to process compensation in accordance with guidelines.
In addition, he reviewed facilities at hostels operated by the Social Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare, Scheduled Tribes Welfare and Minority Welfare departments. He examined issues related to buildings, maintenance, drinking water, toilets and provided necessary instructions.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Prashanth Kumar Mishra, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Harris Sumair, Assistant Commissioner P. Pramod, District Mineral Foundation Officer P.S. Manjunath, Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Girija Shankar and officials from various departments at district and taluk levels.