TDP will supply drinking water as a right free of cost, vows Kala Venkata Rao

Amaravati: Safe and clean drinking water will be provided to the urban residents at free of cost, as their right, announced TDP politburo member Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao.

Expressing confidence of winning of municipalities and corporations, Venkata Rao said in a statement here on Thursday that they would provide free drinking water as the right of citizens. It is the TDP's promise in its urban elections manifesto.

He criticised Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his government for completely failing to ensure safe drinking water to the people in the state.

Contamination of drinking water resulted in mysterious disease in Eluru in West Godavari district in December 2020. More than 700 people fell sick and were admitted in hospitals in Eluru alone, he recalled. High quantities of pesticides were found in drinking water. Around 2.38 lakh people from Eluru were impacted by this serious disease, he added.

In Kurnool, after consuming contaminated water at least 50 people fell sick and one person died. This was the result of improper sanitation. Moreover, damaged water pipelines contaminated the drinking water. Major municipalities in Prakasam district, including Ongole, Giddalur, Markapur and Kanigiri are staring at the face of a severe water crisis because of the state government's negligence to clear the drinking water supply bills.

He recalled that N Chandrababu Naidu spent Rs 1,449 crore through JNNURM projects across 12 municipal corporations for supply of water, sewerage, roads, drains, and solid waste management. By effectively utilising the 14th Finance Commission and other funds, the TDP government spent more than Rs 1,986 crore in various municipalities.

He said water supply projects of Rs 850 crore worth were initiated under AP Municipal Development Project (APMDP) covering Vizianagaram, Badvel, Markapur, Kakinada, Anantapur and Guntur. To make the sewerage system more effective Rs 1364.86 crore was spent in Guntur and Vijayawada.

Under Hudco, the TDP government allocated Rs 1,137.62 crore to support the water supply and sewerage system in Nellore, he said.