Chittoor Collector directs swift action to resolve drinking water shortages in 53 habitations
District Collector of Chittoor Sumit Kumar on Thursday directed officials to ensure uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water to all villages and take immediate measures to address shortages. He convened a review meeting with the Panchayat Raj and Rural Water Works departments to assess the situation and outline remedial steps.
During the meeting, the Collector instructed officials to conduct thorough inspections of drinking water sources, repair damaged pipelines and pumps, and prevent wastage of water. He also ordered that overhead tanks and other storage facilities be cleaned and chlorinated once every fortnight to ensure that the water supplied to households is safe for consumption. The Panchayat Raj department is responsible for the maintenance of rural drinking water supply systems, while the Rural Water Works department handles larger schemes.
Officials apprised the Collector that drinking water shortages had been reported in 53 habitations spread over Bangarupalem, Puthalapattu, Peddapanjani, Vijayapuram and other mandals. Taking note of this, Mr. Kumar directed the officials to study immediate alternative measures, including drilling of borewells, laying new pipelines and undertaking pumping works on a war footing. He stressed the need for coordination between departments to ensure swift implementation.
The Collector also turned his attention to the Aadhaar services, which have been disrupted for the past two weeks. He directed the Mandal Parishad Development Officers (MPDOs) to restore Aadhaar centres that have remained non-functional for nearly 15 days. Specifically, centres in Penumur, S.R. Puram, Chittoor Urban, Karvetinagaram and Gudipala must resume operations within a week. He further announced that free Aadhaar biometric update services would be provided on August 13, 14, 17 and 21, benefiting an estimated 22,000 residents. Aadhaar centres are critical for residents to avail government subsidies, open bank accounts and access other services, and their prolonged closure had caused inconvenience.
In a separate development, the Collector said a district-level job mela will be held at Jyotirao Phule Bhavan in Chittoor on August 25. He urged MPDOs to mobilise youth from every mandal to attend the fair, which is intended to help rural youth find suitable employment opportunities. Such melas are part of the government’s broader efforts to address unemployment in the region.
Chittoor district, part of the Rayalaseema region, has historically faced drinking water stress, especially in the summer months. The Collector’s directives come as part of the district administration’s proactive approach to managing water resources and ensuring that residents do not suffer due to infrastructure failures. Regular monitoring and timely maintenance of water systems are essential to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases, officials noted.
The administration has asked officials to submit periodic progress reports on the implementation of these measures. The restoration of Aadhaar centres is expected to benefit many residents who rely on these services for identity verification and updating biometric data. The job mela, meanwhile, reflects the district’s efforts to connect the local workforce with potential employers and reduce unemployment among the youth.
