The Nabarangpur district administration will implement four projects worth Rs 872.79 crore to ensure uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water to the rural households.
Once completed, the projects will ensure round-the-clock supply of safe drinking water to over three lakh people of 86 panchayats spread across Tentulikhunti, Nandahandi, Kosagumuda, Nabarangpur, Papdahandi and Chandahandi blocks of the district.
“The detailed project report has been prepared, and the administrative clearance obtained. We hope to finalise the tender process shortly,” said Manoranjan Mali, executive engineer of the rural water supply and sanitation, Nabarangpur.
Under the project, filtered surface water of the Indravati and Tel rivers will be supplied to the villagers for drinking purpose. The method will replace the existing one of supplying drinking water through bore wells.
Officials said that as the ground water level was depleting with each passing year, the use of surface water would help to provide safe piped water supply in the rural areas.
“The projects will be helpful for the district as given its geographical location filled with hilly terrains and villages situated at far-flung areas, sometimes it gets difficult to take the bore well digging vehicle to the rural areas,” said Mali.
“Under the new projects, only pipelines will be laid to the rural areas connected to the main project. Also, the existing rural piped water supply projects of the district will be linked to the new projects,” the official said.
According to official figures, while a mega water project worth Rs 146.82 crore will be constructed to supply water to 22 panchayats of Tentulikhuni and Nandahandi blocks, at least 11 panchayats of Kosagumuda block will be supplied water through a mega project worth Rs 107.07 crore.
Similarly, for 40 panchayats of Nabarangpur, Papdahandi and Kosagumuda blocks and 13 panchayats of Chandahandi block will be supplied water through two mega projects to be constructed worth Rs 493.54 crore and Rs 125.36 crore, respectively.
