Villages in AP to get bottled mineral water from Aug 15

Villages in Andhra Pradesh will be supplied bottled 'mineral water' rather than piped water from the coming Independence Day.

Villages in Andhra Pradesh will be supplied bottled 'mineral water' rather than piped water from the coming Independence Day.

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Mini plants for bottling water will be set up in villages having a population of 1,500 and above and the local women self-help groups will be entrusted with the responsibility of running the plant, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy told reporters while inaugurating the two-day conference of District Collectors in Hyderabad on Friday.

"Each bottling plant will cost just about Rs two lakh and can supply water to a population of 1500 people," he said.

The scheme would be launched on August 15, he said adding 60 per cent of the villages would be covered in a year.

"What we are supplying now is only piped water, which is not really safe. We can take it up as a challenge and supply safe drinking water by setting up these bottling units," Reddy said.