Clean drinking water to all: IPH Minister

Shimla, June 16 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh government is committed to provide clean drinking water to the people, while all census villages have already been covered with drinking water facilities in the state, Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said.

Reviewing the functioing of the department here last evening, he said an ambitious project of Rs 518 crore under the Bharat Nirman Yojana had already been sent to the Centre for approval and funding and would benefit 6,030 partially covered habitations in the state.

Mr Thakur said more than 40,107 habitations were being provided clean drinking water, while the remaining 5,260 partially covered habitations would be provided drinking water facilities by 2007.

The Centre has already released a sum of Rs 12.62 crore out of an ambitious Rs 32.61 crore Swajaldhara Scheme launched in the state, he said.

He said all new government buildings, offices and schools would now be required to construct roof harvesting structures which had been made mandatory to recycle water for using it for other purposes.

The IPH minister said 80 per cent work of Rs 52 crore Solan Drinking Water Supply Scheme had already been completed and it would be made functional by October next year.

Mr Singh said efforts were also on to complete the Rs 50 crore Hamirpur Drinking Water Supply Scheme, which would benefit 153 villages of the state.

He said 10 drinking water supply projects of Rs 132.67 crore have also been approved by HUDCO, adding that a sewerage project for Shimla town, costing Rs 74 crore had also been made functional.

Sewerage schemes for Rampur, Jogindernagar, Jwalamukhi, Ghumarwin and Manali would be completed soon, he said.

He said 2.5 lakh hectare area had already been brought under irrigation, while 1,557 hectare area had been brought under irrigation up to 2005.

About 102 minor irrigation schemes of Rs. 50.25 crore had also been submitted to the Centre for approval, he said.

Directing the IPH officers to visit and inspect the drinking water supply schemes in the state, he said several other schemes were at different stages and would be completed soon.

UNI AS HS RA RK2051