Puducherry's Initiative: Free Safe Drinking Water in Affected Areas

Puducherry's government plans to supply 20 liters of safe drinking water to households in areas suffering from poor quality water. The initiative, starting April 14, addresses concerns of unsafe water leading to health issues. High TDS groundwater is blended with suitable sources to improve quality.

Puducherry's PWD Minister, K Lakshminarayanan, announced a significant initiative to combat water quality issues on Wednesday. Starting from April 14, the territorial government will provide 20 liters of safe drinking water in cans, free of cost, to households in areas affected by poor water quality.

During a parliamentary session, Independent member G Nehru alias Kuppusamy highlighted the issue of inferior quality water, which has been linked to several health problems. Lakshminarayanan responded by explaining that the current drinking water supply relies heavily on groundwater sources. Due to excessive extraction, saline water has emerged as a problem. To address this, water with high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) content is now being blended with safe levels from other borewells before distribution.

Moreover, Civil Supplies Minister P R N Thirumurugan assured the assembly that ration shops would be established in needed locations. Until then, a temporary system will provide free monthly rice deliveries directly to residents' doorsteps, supporting those without current access.

(With inputs from agencies.)