Focus should be on ensuring uninterrupted drinking water supply in rural areas: Anand Prakash Meena
A meeting of the District Water and Sanitation Committee regarding the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission project was held recently under the chairmanship of Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Chief Executive Officer Anand Prakash Meena. During the meeting, discussions were held on granting approval to the action plan for undertaking emergency drinking water projects during the current year. Detailed deliberations were also held on modifying the SDP and non-SDP plans and preparing the corresponding action plans.
The Z P CEO reviewed the grievances and issues relating to the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission works.
Addressing the meeting, Anand Prakash Meena stressed the need to take up urgent drinking water works and directed officials to ensure that tap water connections are provided to every household under the Jal Jeevan Mission. He instructed the concerned departments to ensure that there is no disruption in drinking water supply.
Noting that the district has received scanty rainfall so far, he issued clear directions to closely monitor the situation and ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in rural areas.
Executive Engineer of the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department R. Bhaskar explained the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 project.
He apprised the meeting about rural drinking water supply, Har Ghar Jal announcements, works proposed under the District Technical Unit and the implementation of the Sujalam Bharat App and Asset Management App.
Bhaskar also provided information regarding sanitation and repair works, identification of villages facing drinking water shortages and the steps being taken to ensure adequate water supply through the Swachh Bharat Mission.
The ZP CEO further directed officials to accord priority to maintaining cleanliness at drinking water collection centres and water sources in all villages of the district.
The meeting discussed issues relating to emergency drinking water supply, Special Development Programmes, Jal Jeevan Mission works, disinfection units, Har Ghar Jal, water quality testing and EFI and EOT.
Executive Engineer R. Bhaskar also presented details regarding the progress and future plans of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aimed at providing safe drinking water to rural areas of Kodagu district.
He stated that considerable progress has been achieved in ensuring clean and safe drinking water to rural households and presented the latest review reports pertaining to Jal Jeevan Mission projects, water supply works and water quality monitoring undertaken by the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department. Out of the 457 works taken up under three phases of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the district, 370 works have been successfully completed. The total estimated cost of these projects is Rs. 354.74 crore, out of which Rs. 245.85 crore has already been spent.
At present, 85 works are in progress, while two projects have been abandoned. Of the completed projects, 236 have already been handed over for public use.
Among the taluks, Somwarpet has recorded the highest progress, with 229 out of 245 projects completed. In Virajpet, 81 out of 122 works have been completed, while in Madikeri, 60 out of 90 projects have been completed, he said.
Bhaskar informed that eight major emergency works have been identified during 2025-26 to provide drinking water to various villages in Madikeri, Virajpet and Ponnampet taluks under the Virajpet Assembly constituency. New borewells have been drilled, pumps and motors installed and pipeline connections laid as part of these works.
He further stated that two laboratories functioning in the Kodagu Division and Ponnampet Sub-Division are continuously monitoring water quality to ensure contamination-free water supply in the district.
During the financial year 2026-27, a total of 1,022 water samples had been collected and tested from 288 villages in the district up to June 18, 2026. Of the samples tested, only two were found to be contaminated, and immediate corrective measures had been taken, he said.
Against an annual target of 6,000 samples, the district has achieved 17.03 per cent progress so far. In addition, 2,487 water samples have been tested through village-level field testing kits, accounting for 53.34 per cent of the target.
For the three-month period from April 1 to June 18, 2026, a target of 1,500 samples had been fixed, of which 1,022 samples have already been successfully tested, he added.
During the period from June 1 to June 18, a total of 113 samples were tested, including 69 samples in the district laboratory and 44 samples in the taluk laboratory. Madikeri recorded the highest number of samples tested at 43, followed by Virajpet with 28 and Kushalnagar with 17 samples.
Overall, Kodagu district has made commendable progress in ensuring safe drinking water and maintaining water quality standards in rural areas, he said.
The meeting also discussed administrative approval for the construction of a new water purification unit at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Galibeedu Gram Panchayat at an estimated cost of Rs. 78.50 lakh. Discussions were also held regarding water budgeting, repair of 20 overhead tanks and continuation of the services of computer operators and drivers.
Assistant Executive Engineer T.P. Virendra, Taluk Health Officer Dr. Sanath Kumar, Deputy Director of the School Education Department Basavaraju, Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department Prasanna Kumar, Conservator of Forests Sandeep Kumar, District Project Manager Puttaswamy, Assistant Engineers, Junior Engineers, IMIS and ISA personnel, members of the sample collection team and Swachh Bharat Mission staff attended the meeting.
