CM Vishnu Deo Sai Emphasizes Ensuring Drinking Water Availability in Summer

Focus on Ensuring Drinking Water Supply During Summer
Officials Must Conduct Field Visits for On-Site Problem Resolution – CM Sai

15-Day Special Campaign: Repair of Hand Pumps and Public Taps

Raipur : CM Vishnu Deo Sai emphasized that ensuring uninterrupted and safe drinking water supply to every citizen during summer is the government’s primary responsibility. He stressed the need for coordination between departments and active public participation. Speaking at a high-level review meeting of the Public Health Engineering and Water Resources Department at the Secretariat, he highlighted the necessity of concrete and decisive steps in water conservation to safeguard the state from future water crises.

The Chief Minister directed officials to prioritize all necessary measures to ensure adequate and continuous water availability during the summer season across the state. Declaring drinking water availability as a top priority, he instructed officials to take immediate and coordinated action to prevent any potential water crisis. He also urged departments such as Rural Development, Urban Administration, Energy, Forest, and Agriculture to work in close collaboration.

CM Sai stressed the importance of both short-term and long-term strategies for resolving drinking water issues. He emphasized promoting effective water conservation methods like recharge pits, rainwater harvesting, and solar-powered pumps. Additionally, he called for strict monitoring of groundwater exploitation and the encouragement of low-water-consuming crops to ensure sustainable water resource management.

He instructed officials to step out of their offices, conduct field visits, assess ground conditions, and resolve drinking water issues on-site.

A 15-day special campaign has been launched to repair all hand pumps and public taps across the state. The Chief Minister noted that many hand pumps suffer from minor technical issues, which local mechanics can fix promptly to prevent unnecessary inconvenience to citizens.

It was also informed during the meeting that the state government has deployed mobile van units across the state to expedite repairs and maintenance. These units will remain active for the next four months to ensure smooth execution.

Highlighting the state’s commitment to providing clean drinking water in both hilly and plain regions, CM Sai directed officials to implement water conservation measures suited to local geological conditions for long-term solutions. He also emphasized ensuring water availability for wildlife during summer.

The CM instructed that Amrit Sarovars be developed as water management models, serving as examples of rainwater harvesting, water conservation, and community participation. He stressed the immediate removal of encroachments around ponds and reservoirs, stating that protecting water sources is a collective social responsibility, not just an administrative duty.

He also directed the rapid implementation of solar-powered drinking water projects and suggested the adoption of sensor-based automated systems to monitor and regulate water distribution efficiently. This would mark a significant step towards smart water management in the state.

Recognizing the crucial role of Panchayati Raj institutions, CM Sai called for increased awareness and participation at the village level as a sustainable solution to the water crisis. He instructed that Gram Sabhas should actively discuss water conservation, groundwater management, and drinking water schemes to encourage community-driven initiatives. The Panchayat and Rural Development Department was specifically directed to ensure structured implementation and active involvement of Gram Panchayats in these initiatives.

The high-level meeting was attended by Deputy CM Arun Sao, Vijay Sharma, Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Principal Secretary to the CM Subodh Singh, Principal Secretary of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department Niharika Barik, Secretary of the Water Resources Department Rajesh Sukumar Toppo, Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department Mohammed Kaiser Abdul Haq, and officials from the Agriculture, Forest, Climate Change, and Energy Departments.