Patna: Amid severe heatwave conditions and fears over erratic monsoon rainfall, the state government on Monday asked officials concerned to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in drought-prone districts of south Bihar.
Chief Secretary Reviews Situation
Chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit reviewed the situation with officials of the public health and engineering department and Panchayati Raj department and ordered activation of 24x7 state and district-level control rooms.
“In no situation should there be drinking water shortage in any area of the state, especially in the drought-prone districts of south Bihar,” Amrit said.
Repair and Supply Measures
He asked officials to repair all 86,679 defunct handpumps and activate mobile repair teams in all 534 blocks. Officials were also asked to supply drinking water through 475 tankers, 15 ‘jaldoots’ and 15 water ATMs in critically affected areas.
The chief secretary further ordered repair of 665 defunct piped water supply systems within a week and stressed regular monitoring of underground water levels across panchayats.
Monitoring and Coordination
The control rooms will operate round the clock to address any water-related complaints and ensure swift action. The Panchayati Raj department will coordinate with local bodies to identify the most affected areas and prioritize water distribution.
Mobile repair teams have been instructed to be available on call and complete repairs within 24 hours of reporting. The government also plans to deploy additional tankers if needed, based on real-time data from the field.
This initiative comes as Bihar faces a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 45 degrees Celsius in some parts. The erratic monsoon has raised concerns about water scarcity, particularly in the southern districts that are historically drought-prone.
