CM Sai emphasizes ensuring availability of drinking water during the summer season

Raipur, March 24

Chief Minister Mr. Vishnu Deo Sai stated that ensuring uninterrupted and safe drinking water to every citizen of the state during the summer season is our primary responsibility. For this, coordination between all departments and public participation is essential.

He emphasized that concrete and decisive steps need to be taken in the direction of water conservation to tackle water scarcity, ensuring that the state remains safe from any water crisis in the future. The Chief Minister was addressing a high-level review meeting of the Public Health Engineering and Water Resources Department at the Secretariat.

Chief Minister Mr. Sai directed the officials to prioritize the implementation of all necessary measures to ensure proper and continuous availability of drinking water across the state during the summer season.

Considering the summer conditions, Chief Minister Mr. Sai declared the availability of drinking water across the state as the highest priority of the state government. He gave clear instructions to the concerned officials to treat any potential water crisis seriously and ensure swift and coordinated action. He also directed the Rural Development, Urban Administration, Energy, Forest, and Agriculture Departments to work in coordination with each other in this regard.

He mentioned that both short-term and long-term strategies are equally necessary to resolve the drinking water issues arising in the state. For this, he emphasized accelerating effective water conservation measures such as recharge pits, rainwater harvesting, and solar-powered pumps. He also directed strict monitoring of the uncontrolled extraction of groundwater and encouraged the cultivation of water-efficient crops to ensure balanced use of water resources.

Chief Minister Mr. Sai directed the officials not to limit themselves to their offices but to assess the situation on the ground and ensure quick resolution of drinking water-related issues on-site.

The Chief Minister instructed that within the next 15 days, a special campaign be launched across the state to ensure the repair of all hand pumps and public taps. He said that many hand pumps only have minor technical issues, which, if addressed promptly by local mechanics, can prevent unnecessary trouble for citizens.

During the meeting, it was informed that the state government has made special arrangements for mobile van units across the state to ensure the quick execution of this task. These units will remain active in the field for the next four months, carrying out maintenance and repairs on a priority basis.

Chief Minister Mr. Sai reiterated that ensuring the continuous availability of clean drinking water in both the hilly and plain areas of the state is the state government’s primary responsibility. He instructed the officials to promote water conservation measures in line with local geophysical conditions to ensure long-term solutions. He also gave clear instructions to ensure water availability for wildlife during the summer season.

The Chief Minister also directed that Amrit Sarovars (water bodies) across the state be developed as models for water management so that they can become successful examples of water storage, rainwater conservation, and community participation. He stressed the need to remove encroachments around ponds and water reservoirs on a priority basis, stating that the protection of water sources is not only an administrative responsibility but also a collective social responsibility.

Chief Minister Mr. Sai instructed that the operation and maintenance process for solar-powered drinking water schemes be accelerated. He said that effective implementation of these schemes can help control the wastage of water resources and ensure energy savings. He specifically emphasized that ‘sensor-based automatic systems’ should be implemented in solar drinking water schemes to allow technical monitoring and control of water distribution, taking the state a step further in the direction of smart water management.

The Chief Minister highlighted the vital role of Panchayati Raj institutions in the field of water conservation and stated that public awareness and participation at the village level are the long-term solutions to the water crisis. He directed that wide discussions on water conservation, groundwater management, and rainwater harvesting plans be ensured in village meetings so that solid initiatives can be taken at the community level. The Chief Minister also instructed the Panchayat and Rural Development Department to ensure the well-planned implementation of these activities and the active involvement of gram panchayats.

This high-level meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Arun Sao, Mr. Vijay Sharma, Chief Secretary Mr. Amitabh Jain, the Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Mr. Subodh Singh, Panchayat and Rural Development Department’s Principal Secretary Mrs. Niharika Barik, Secretary of the Water Resources Department Mr. Rajesh Sukumar Toppo, Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department Mr. Mohammad Kaiser Abdul Hak, and officers from the Agriculture, Forest, Climate Change, and Energy Departments.