The district administration’s directive to use only GPS-enabled tankers for potable water supply is yet to be followed by the majority of local self-government institutions in Kozhikode district. Lack of the sufficient number of such vehicles is projected as one of the major reasons for not complying with the directive.
The order was issued by District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao recently with an aim to track the movement of water tankers on a regular basis and ensure a fair distribution of water to all the needy people in the drought-hit areas. It was also aimed at preventing the chances of misusing the funds without using it for water supply schemes.
Diversion of funds
A Revenue Department officer said there were a few incidents earlier in which some of the local bodies were accused of diverting the funds earmarked for the drinking water supply during the drought season. During later inspections, none of them had any documentary evidence to prove the appropriate use of the funds, he said.
To comply with the order, the local bodies were supposed to maintain a separate log book for entering the GPS tracker details every day and submit it to the higher authorities on demand. The secretaries of the local bodies were primarily responsible for maintaining such a log book and its proper monitoring. However, many of them were not even entrusted with such responsibilities with the delay in identifying the GPS-enabled tanker water tankers.
Delay in tendering
Though the local bodies were granted permission to spend a reasonable amount for drought mitigation and potable water supply schemes to beat the summer challenge, the delayed tendering procedures hit the plans in several areas. With the declaration of the elections, it was further delayed. Even after the city corporation and each municipality were granted permission to spend up to ₹38.5 lakh and ₹27.5 lakh respectively till May 31, it was not spent on time with the delayed tendering procedures.
As per the official records, only 25 GPS-enabled tanker lorries were hired till date to operate the potable water supply in drought hit areas in Kozhikode district. The laxity continued even after a district-level review meeting called by the Revenue officers last week to review the drought mitigation projects and potable water supply initiatives. The grama panchayats, which were allowed to spend about ₹16 lakh during this season to address potable water scarcity, were found lagging behind the rest of the groups.
Meanwhile, the heads of some of the local bodies said the lack of GPS-enabled tanker lorries did not derail any of their previously planned potable water supply projects in drought-hit areas. This was done with the support of various welfare organisations and without depending solely the government funds, they said.