‘Drinking water for fluoride-affected villages’

Nalgonda: Minister for Panchayat Raj K Jana Reddy addressing the meeting to celebrate the Independence Day here on Thursday said that Rs. 578 crore has been spent to supply protected drinking water to the 1166 fluoride-affected villages in the district.

After hoisting the national flag at the Police Parade Grounds here, the minister said that various schemes worth Rs. 642 crore have been taken up to provide protected drinking water to 1,494 villages in Devarakonda, Miryalaguda, Nagarjuna Sagar, Kodada, Suryapet, Huzurnagar, Tungaturti, Alair, Munugodu, Nalgonda, Nakirekal and Bhuvanagiri Assembly segments under the National Rural Drinking water scheme.

He expressed concern over the students being affected by fluorosis as there was no protected drinking water supply to the schools and anganwadi centres. He appreciated the efforts of the district administration for taking up awareness camp for the benefit of 5 lakh students in the district. Expressing happiness over the farming activity in the district, the minister said that out of 5.90 lakh hectares in the district, already 3.84 lakh hectares were under cultivation this kharif season.

The Panchayat Raj MInister hoped that the cultivation area would go up to Rs. 5.15 lakh hectares this year due to the good monsoon.