Potable water facility in MP ashrams, hostels

Bhopal, Apr 23: With UNICEF cooperation, rainwater harvesting, reutilisation of water and other methods would be employed to obtain potable water in the next three years for 2,000 ashrams and hostels managed by Madhya Pradesh's Tribal Welfare Department.

A decision in this regard was taken recently in a meeting here between the Department's officials of UNICEF under a Joint Potable Water Campaign, an official release said.

Among those present were Commissioner (Tribal Welfare) Raghav Chandra, UNICEF India Representative Cecilio Adorna, World Food Programme Country Director Jean Petro, UNICEF State Representative Hamid AL Bashir and Programme Officer Sam Godfrey.

''One hundred ashrams have been included in the first phase. A sum of Rs 3 crore will be spent and about 5,000 students benefited.

Moreover, a target has been set to include all schools under the programme by 2010. Training and technical guidance will be provided by UNICEF apart from a provision of tanks in 50 ashrams,'' said Mr Chandra.

UNI