Shimla, Aug 17: Himachal government has started survey of drinking water supply status aimed at covering each and every habitation in all the census villages in the state for ensuring safe water supply system. The ambitious programme aims at getting information on the availability of drinking water in rural habitations, rural schools and scheduled castes and scheduled tribes-inhabited villages as per the 2001 census.

Aimed at forming a basis for developing future strategies for drinking water supply in the state, the survey would help in identifying the existing water sources and those required as per norms and quality testing. The survey will also assess the cattle population in rural areas based on latest cattle census and the estimated water requirement for cattle wealth.

An official spokesman today said the other important segments of survey will be primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools, anganwaris, rural health institutions, panchayati raj institutions, market places etc.

The survey aims at securing participation of people at the grassroot level to ascertain ground realities in a proper way. Panchayats, public representatives, voluntary organizations, MPs, MLAs, district, blocks and tehsil level functionaries will also be associated in the survey. For the purpose of giving the survey a broader representation, departments like irrigation and public health, engineering, water board, rural development and panchayati raj, universities, schools and colleges would be associated

Bureau Report