The Nitish government of Bihar has started finalizing preparations to deal with the possible water crisis during the summer season. A comprehensive action plan has been prepared in this regard by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). According to Minister Neeraj Kumar Singh, a special campaign is being carried out for the repair and maintenance of Chapaklals. In the panchayats where the ground water level has gone down, arrangements are being made to keep the raiser pipes active.
Minister Neeraj Singh said that advance approval has been given for the construction of a total of 1520 new handpumps for the current financial year 2025-26. Also, the work of repairing a total of 1,20,749 handpumps has been started across the state as per the target set for the repair of handpumps. Rep repair of all handparts is being reported on the online portal and Jio tagged photographs and social authentication are also being obtained.
Guidelines to officers
Public Health Engineering Minister Neeraj Kumar Singh has given extensive guidelines to the officials to deal with the challenge of drinking water supply in the summer. First of all, he has instructed to provide immediate repair of the non -working chapaklals and in addition to the ‘every house tap water’ structures in the water -affected areas through tankers. Chapaklas in public places, schools and Mahadalit tolls are being repaired on priority basis. Also, in view of the possible decline in ground water level, the condition of water sources at the panchayat level is being assessed on a daily basis.
In areas where water supply schemes are affected due to high low ground water level, water supply is being ensured through tankers. Route chart of water distribution has been prepared on priority basis to water -affected panchayats, so that there is no shortage of drinking water in any village or hamlet. The entire system is also being monitored through the control room at the district level.
Every house tap water scheme
Along with this, a special campaign is being run on water quality from the level of the department. Under this, those water bodies are being marked with red color, in which the amount of arsenic, fluoride or iron is found to be higher than the valid limit. Also, the work of connecting schools and Anganwadi centers has also been intensified under the “Har Ghar Tap Water” scheme.
Apart from this, initiative has been taken by the department to provide adequate water for animals during the summer season. A total of 261 catal troughs (animal piau) have been constructed in the state and physical verification is also being done to ensure their activity.
Pankaj Kumar, Principal Secretary of the department, has also held a meeting with all the regional executive engineers in the past on the preparations to deal with the problem of drinking water due to the falling groundwater level in the heat -hit parts of the state during the summer season.