Uddanam project: Government yet to clear funds

Srikakulam: The state government has been neglecting the Uddanam water project without sanctioning funds for its maintenance and contractors are unable to supply water properly.

The water project was inaugurated in 2017 to supply safe drinking water to residents of Itchapuram and Palasa Assembly segments in the districts. Kidney related ailments are spreading rampantly in these two segments, and experts preliminarily came to a conclusion that consumption of ground water is the major cause for it.

To overcome the hurdle the then TDP government established project by arranging 135 safe drinking water supply points at different villages in these two Assembly segments.

Initially, government fixed Rs 2 per 20 litre bottle. The project was maintained by Rural Water Supply (RWS) and NTR Trust.

Later, maintenance and supply of water was handed over to contractors. Meanwhile, the maintenance of the scheme price per 20 litre bottle water enhanced to Rs 7. The project maintenance became difficult as power tariff, fuel prices and workers wages increased.

“We are representing the funds issue to the government through district officials and meanwhile to overcome funds scarcity we enhanced the price for per 20 litre bottle to Rs 7 from its previous,” said water project manager, A Ravi Sankar