Water safety problems in Karnataka unlikely to be addressed by 2009-end The Hindu : Front Page

The Hindu : Front Page : Water safety problems in Karnataka unlikely to be addressed by 2009-end

Water safety problems in Karnataka unlikely to be addressed by 2009-end

Nagesh Prabhu

BANGALORE: Addressing water safety problems in all the quality-affected habitations in the State by the end of 2009 is likely to remain a dream under the Centre’s flagship Bharat Nirman Programme.

There are 21,008 water quality affected habitations in the State. So far, only 2,106 habitations have been provided safe drinking water under the rural water supply schemes of the Union and State governments.

Funds have been sanctioned to provide quality water in 6,029 habitations and the progress of work is at different stages. Providing safe drinking water in all the quality-affected habitations in the country by the end of 2009 is one of the major objectives of the Bharat Nirman Programme.

The State Government had earmarked Rs. 654.79 crore to implement 22,973 rural water supply works in all the 29 districts in the current financial year (2008-09). The funds will be utilised to provide safe drinking water in 2,035 habitations in the current year, according to officials in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. The provision of clean drinking water, sanitation, and a clean environment are vital in order to improve the health of the people and to reduce the incidence of diseases and deaths.

As many as 9,39,221 cases of diarrhoea, 14,980 cases of viral hepatitis and 96,147 cases of typhoid were reported in the State in 2006, due to drinking contaminated water.

Water-borne diseases claimed 1,308 lives (diarrhoea-1,279, viral hepatitis-24, typhoid-5) in 2006, according to the Planning Commission document.

As many as 14,779 habitations are yet to be covered in the State.

The State was finding it difficult to establish alternative sources of water supply to the quality-affected habitations, as the source was either very far away or was not available. Many habitations have been affected due to fluoride content in drinking water.

The district-wise approval of funds for taking up works under the rural water supply scheme in 2008-09 is as follows: Bangalore Urban Rs. 40.93 crore; Ramanagara Rs. 55.49 crore; Bangalore Rural 38.92 crore; Kolar Rs. 21.74 crore; Tumkur Rs. 7.76 crore; Chitradurga 37.28 crore; Davangere Rs. 20.72 crore; Shimoga Rs. 18.14 crore; Mysore Rs. 90.56 crore; Mandya Rs. 43.10 crore; Chamarajanagar Rs. 24.16 crore; Hassan 16.02 crore; Dakshina Kannada Rs. 37.33 crore; Udupi Rs. 39.13 crore; Kodagu Rs. 3.08 crore; Belgaum Rs. 13.52 crore; Dharwad Rs. 16.75 crore; Haveri Rs. 7.97 crore; Gadag Rs. 18.53 crore; Uttara Kannada Rs. 12.93 crore; Bagalkot Rs. 26.11 crore; Gulbarga Rs. 14.41 crore; Bidar Rs. 90 crore; Raichur Rs. 16.02 crore; Koppal Rs. 25.11 crore; Chickballapur Rs. 12.52 crore; Chikmagalur Rs. 11.60 crore; Bijapur Rs. 14.91 crore; and Bellary Rs. 14.91 crore.