Hyderabad: KTR urges the need for people to conserve every drop of water

• Calls for rainwater harvesting measures so that they yield good results in the next monsoon

• Calls for walk programmes to promote and create awareness on water conservation at Theme Park in Jubilee Hills

• Announces board ready to take up sewerage management in the city's outskirts from March 1

• Also to take up water supply in 193 villages abutting the ORR Releases HMWSSB diary & special uniform jacket, common for both staff & officials

Jubilee Hills: Municipal Administration Minister K Tarakarama Rao on Friday stressed the need for people to conserve every drop of water by taking up rainwater harvesting measures, including construction of pits, during the ensuing summer, so that they yield good results in the next monsoon.

He favoured holding of walk programmes to promote water conservation after visiting the Theme Park in Jubilee Hills constructed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) and holding a review meeting on the board's projects and working.

Addressing the meeting, KTR announced that the board was ready to take up sewerage management, hitherto done by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in civic bodies located on the city's outskirts from March 1.

'For this, the board needs to prepare definite plans in the Outer Ring Road (ORR) areas', he said, adding that it would also take up water supply in villages abutting the ORR. The minister disclosed that HMWSSB would take up ORR projects in 193 villages for undertaking the supply and conduct awareness programme on wastage of water by every house. He noted that the Theme Park would serve as a venue for creating awareness among students and people on conservation of water as it has 42 water-saving models that attract the attention of students. 'The models are thought-provoking', the minister observed.

KTR stressed that if water was saved today, scarcity problems in future could be averted, while calling for largescale construction of rainwater-harvesting structures and other conservation steps. He noted that this was the right time for creating public awareness on the need for taking up conservation methods before the next monsoon.

The minister said that the board was diverting the Krishna and Godavari waters for meeting the City's drinking needs after the formation of Telangana State

The minister released a HMWSSB diary and the special uniform jacket, common for both staff and officials, and details of water conservation measures, including the proposed walks. Among those who attended the meeting included Municipal Administration department's Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar, board's Managing Director M Dana Kishore, and directors.