In order to deal with the increasing water crisis in Ranchi, the State Government has decided to conduct special drives to create awareness about rain water harvesting (RWH) as well as minimizing wastage of water among the people.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das, during a review meeting related to the storage of water in various dams and its supply in Ranchi, directed the officials also to involve kids for the purpose.

“Water supply in some of the areas is being hindered due to lack of coordination between the departments of Water and Power, which immediately needs to be taken care of,” said the CM.  Das directed the officials of the two departments to hold regular meetings to improve coordination between the two so that people could be ensured regular water supply.

A discussion also took place over the feasibility of getting water from Patratu and lapung dam and constructing a dam over Kanchi river to ensure water supply to the people of Ranchi.

Town Commissioner Prashant Kumar however, informed that storage of water after rains is a natural phenomenon in dams, but water level in Dhruva and some other dams have gone beyond the minimum level.

“Hence, keeping the requirement of water in future, a decision of rationing has been taken so that people do not have to face any problem in the coming days,” said Singh. Over 100 additional hand pumps will be installed in the RMC area very soon, he added.

The CM also asked the officials to make alternate arrangements to ensure supply of water across the state.

“As the situation of water supply is griming day by day, alternate arrangements are being made making water available to some of the water towers from Rukka dam,” said Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary AP Singh. The RMC will also open a cell to make people aware about RWH, said Singh.

“Meanwhile, the RMC will also ensure that the buildings for which RWH had been made mandatory, is complied accordingly,” said Singh.

Those who still have not taken legal water connections will be served legal notices asking them to get it regularized by RMC. Action will be taken against defaulters through special drives. In addition to that, all defunct hand-pumps will also be made functional.

As per the reports published in some of the newspapers citing the construction of Ring Road around Ranchi for the depleting water level in Dhurwa Dam, the State Government has decided to remove all bottlenecks in this regard.

The Government started rationing water supply in Ranchi on Monday. According to the rationing system, water will be made available to the people only twice a week.

The meeting was also attended by Urban Development Minister CP Singh, Drinking Water and Sanitation Department minister CP Chaudhary, Principal Secretary to CM Sanjay Kumar, Secretary to CM Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Town Commissioner Prashant Kumar and other officials of the two departments.