110 Water Health Centres in AP soon: WHI

Vijayawada, July 21 (UNI) Water Health International (WHI) President and Chief Executive Officer Tralance Addy today said about 110 Water Health Centres would be in operation soon in Andhra Pradesh to provide clean water for combating water-borne diseases.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Addy said as of now 60 Water Health Centres were in operation in five districts -- West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasham and Karimnagar in the state.

He said Naandi, an NGO, had assisted the WHI in starting the centres.

Water Health India CEO Sudesh Menon, who was also present, said the WHI was thinking of adding thousands of water health centres in the state and across the country gradually.

Mr Menon said about 1.5 million deaths in the country occurred every year due to water-borne diseases. He expressed hope to provide potable water to all the people in the country by 2020.

He said the WHI would establish a high quality laboratory here in September to test the quality of water.

Stating that water would be provided free of cost to the poor, he said local people in the villages where the water health centres exists would be given training and employed.

UNI