The State government will take adequate steps to ensure easy access to safe drinking water for all, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said.

The government is planning to carry out a one-year project for access to drinking water availability and to ensure its quality. Top priority will be given to construction of check dams, rainwater harvesting, getting water from quarries and natural ponds.

The Chief Minister was presiding over a meeting of people’s representatives and officials convened on at the Collectorate here to review the drought-relief measures in the district.

He said that the government has granted more powers to district collectors and local bodies to tackle emergencies that arise from drought.

The Chief Minister also directed the officials to convene special drought-relief review meetings in all constituencies. The KSEB has been directed to ensure electricity for pumping of potable water by establishing a dedicated line.

Allegations were aired at the meeting over lack of coordination between various departments in supply of drinking water. To tackle the water shortage, there were suggestions to conduct water mapping surveys to identify unused water resources.

There were also requests to release more funds to the drought relief measures in the district by appointing an officer of the rank of a sub-collector to manage the fund.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Water Resources P.J. Joesph, Minister for Excise and Ports K. Babu, Minister for Revenue Adoor Prakash, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Anoop Jacob, and MLAs from the district, apart from senior officials representing different departments led by the District Collector P.I. Sheik Pareeth.

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