Panchayat launches drinking water through PPP model

In a bid to provide safe drinking water, the Kodariya panchayat, situated some 22 km from Indore, has launched water dispensers on a PPP model for its 25,000 odd residents.

In a bid to provide safe drinking water, the Kodariya panchayat, situated some 22 km from Indore, has launched water dispensers on a PPP model for its 25,000 odd residents.

Mobile water vending machine at Kodariya village near Indore. (HT photo)

The project is being touted as the first of its kind at the panchayat level in the state, though this could not be independently verified. However, it has received praise from all around and even the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan mentioned it in his recent “Dil Ki Baat” programme, where he address the people on television.

Sarpanch Anuradha Joshi said the project was launched around a month back and people have accepted it willingly. “People are getting purified and chilled water for 50 paise per liter, while a regular liter of bottled water costs between Rs 10 to 15 per liter. Over 5000 liters of water are being used every day and over 150 families have purchased monthly water recharge cards,” the sarpanch said.

Sarpanch Joshi said that though there is regular piped water supply from the Narmada river, there were incidents of water borne diseases in the village mainly during summer and monsoon period because the water was not purified. “We decided to work on this problem and came in touch with this company. We are also getting revenue as the company has promised to give 10 per cent of its profit to the panchayat,” the sarpanch said.

But not everybody is happy with the project. Social worker Tapan Bhattacharya said by providing drinking water on PPP model the panchayat has abdicating from its responsibility of providing a basic facility to the people. Water has been privatized which is ethically wrong and also there is no guarantee that price of water would not be increased in future.