HP Govt. to install aquapurifiers in government schools

Shimla, Nov, 18 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh Government has launched a scheme to provide pure drinking water to students by installing aqua purifiers in all government schools.

Addressing a press conference here today, State Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi said the scheme named 'Jalmani' had been launched from November 14 last at Hamirpur.

To begin with, the Government had provided about Rs 60 crore for implementation of the scheme, he said and added all government schools would be provided with aquaguards in phased manner.

Mr Ravi said that many lapses were found in the Rs 62.5 crore Giri water supply scheme for Shimla after it was commissioned in May, 2008. The Government would hold inquiry into the lapses and chargesheet those involved, he added.

He said the Giri water supply scheme was to provide 20 million litres per day (MLD) water to cater to the requirment of Shimla town till 2016, but due to water leakage at many places and use of substanrd material only 5 to 7 MLD water was avilable after commissioning of the scheme.

Mr Ravi said the Government was planning to construct 45 MLD scheme with estimated cost of Rs 1,307 crore, drawing water form Pabbar River, to cater the drinking water need of people of Shimla town till 2037.

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