Mysore/Mysuru: Expressing serious concerns about the prevailing drinking water crisis in the district, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. K.V. Rajendra  has directed the district officials to take immediate steps to  ensure drinking water to 108 villages of the district which are facing acute shortage of drinking water.

Dr. Rajendra was speaking after chairing a Disaster Management Committee meeting held at DC office auditorium, yesterday.

“Engineers of Mysuru City Corporation, local bodies, Gram Panchayats (GP) and Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Department, must take immediate steps to preserve, manage and ensure repair works of water sources in their respective jurisdictions  and ensure water supply to people and cattle,” said DC at the meeting.

Observing that the number of new borewells are increasing in the district and stressing the need to restrict their numbers, Dr. Rajendra said that henceforth, prior permission must be obtained 25 days before from GPs and local bodies to dig a borewell and directed officials to keep a close watch on new borewells.

“It is also mandatory that private borewells must not be allowed within 500 metres of public borewells. District officials must take measures to close defunct borewells in their respective jurisdictions and avoid the repeat of Vijayapura like incidents. In case any mishaps happen because of the negligence of officials to close the defunct borewells, the respective official will be held responsible and will face action,” warned DC Dr. Rajendra at the meeting.

DC also directed Bank officials not to take coercive steps while recovering dues from borewell owners since there is drought in the State.

Dr. Rajendra also asked officials to ensure that Dry Fodder is not moved out to other states.

Zilla Panchayat Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Department Executive Engineer Ranjit who spoke at the meeting  said that the department has hired nine private borewells at places where there is shortage of drinking water to provide drinking water and water is also being supplied through tankers on occasions like festivals,

He informed the meeting  that there is water shortage in the 9 wards of Periyapatna town and drinking water is being supplied to the residents of those areas through tankers.

District Health Officer Dr. P.C. Kumaraswamy informed the meeting that an incident of Cholera has been reported in the district and the department officials have inspected the surrounding 600 houses and are creating awareness among the public to keep their house premises clean.

Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department Dr. M. Nagaraj told the meeting the district has a Dry Fodder stock which is expected to last for  the next 3-4 weeks. He also informed that the department has  already distributed 36,000 Dry Fodder kits and the department has received additional 36,000 kits which will also be distributed soon.

ZP CEO K.M. Gayathri, Additional DC P. Shivaraju and other district level officials were present.