Odisha: 5.5 lakh people of 19 urban areas get drink from tap facility

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated the 24×7 drink from tap facilities in 19 urban areas of Odisha under the 5T initiative of the state government.

The Chief Minister inaugurated the round-the-clock drink from tap facilities in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Nimapara, Berhampur, Gopalpur, Rourkela, Sundargarh, Biramitrapur, Rajgangpur, Keonjhar, Joda, Barbil, Champua, Anandapur, Baripada, Rairangpur, Udala, Karanjia and Vyasanagar through videoconference from the Convention Hall of the Lok Seva Bhawan here.

“The drink from tap facilities inaugurated by the Chief Minister today will benefit at least 5.5 lakh people in 19 urban areas of Odisha. With the today’s inauguration, Gopalpur in Ganjam district became the second city in Odisha and also in India after Puri to get drink from tap facility for its entire population,” said an official.

The drink from tap facilities were launched in 18 wards of Bhubaneswar, 16 wards in Berhampur, seven wards in Champua, four wards each in Rourkela, Rajgangpur and Keonjhar, three wards each in Cuttack, Nimapara, Anandpur and Udala, two wards each in Joda, Barbil, Baripada, Rairangpur and Karanjia, and one ward each in Sundargarh, Biramitrapur and Vyasanagar, added the official.

The work for drink from tap facilities in Khurda, Jatni and Hinjilicut urban local bodies was also launched on the occasion. Once finished, the facilities will benefit 1.5 lakh people in the three towns, said the official.

“Our priority is to provide good quality drinking water to each and every family in Odisha. Today is a historic day as drink from tap facilities were inaugurated in 19 towns of the state,” said the Chief Minister.

Among others, Housing and Urban Development Minister Usha Devi, departmental secretary G Mathi Vathanan, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, 5T Secretary VK Pandian, Minister Ashok Panda and Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das were present on the occasion.