Link ponds, canals to solve water crisis: CM Jagan

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has called for a comprehensive plan to interlink ponds with canals and feeder channels to overcome the shortage of water in the next five years.

The CM held a review meeting on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, rural roads and drinking water, with deputy chief minister for panchayat raj Mutyala Naidu and senior officials at his camp office here on Monday.

Jagan Mohan Reddy laid stress on interlinking of ponds with canals especially in Kadapa and Anantapur districts to mitigate the shortage of water. He asked officials to expedite construction of buildings for RBKs, digital libraries, village secretariats and village clinics and asked them to display the photograph of ‘Navaratnalu programme’ on every building.

He said that the construction of buildings should not be delayed or stopped. He underscored the need to upload bills pertaining to job scheme and their payment and asked the authorities to appoint a special officer in Delhi to take a follow up activity to get the bills cleared by the Centre.

He said that construction of four categories of buildings should be completed expeditiously.

With regard to YSR Jala Kala, the CM called for the setting up of a rig in all 175 assembly segments in the state and to provide a borewell, a motor and pipes to each farmer.

The officials informed the CM that, so far, 13,245 borewells were dug with a spend of Rs 4.50 lakh for each. The CM asked the officials to remit the amount for drilling the borewells through Direct Benefit Transfer mode to the beneficiary farmers. Farmers having less than five acres of land should get free borewell while those having five to 10 acres will have the drilling of borewell done free of cost.

Jagan Mohan Reddy called for display of photographs of works taken up under Nadu-Nedu pertaining to education, health, roads and RBKs at village and ward secretariats. He laid stress on providing drinking water on a priority basis at Jagananna Colonies under Jal Jeevan Mission in coordination with the Centre and NABARD.

The CM felt the need for proper management of solid waste by proper maintenance of village sewers and collection of garbage, and asked the officials to ensure there is no  stagnation of drainage water or dumping of garbage on village roads.

He called for completion of all works taken up under solid waste management by October. The officials informed the CM that they would arrange two crore dustbins by October.

With regard to liquid waste management, the officials informed the CM that 46 liquid treatment plants would be constructed and 632 de-sludging machines made available for use across the state.

The CM called for entrusting the responsibility of maintenance of bathrooms in schools to the school headmaster and to the concerned panchayat secretary.

Meanwhile, the officials informed the CM that they have initiated special measures to overcome shortage of drinking water in the summer season and said an action plan was prepared, which will be effective up to July.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said special arrangements were made to supply drinking water especially in Godavari districts where salinity was the problem and also in uranium affected areas in YSR district as also Prakasam, Palnadu and Chittoor districts.