Karnataka performs poorly in providing potable water

Though people in over one lakh rural habitations across the country still have to depend on contaminated sources for drinking water, a number of major States including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have registered less than 20 per cent achievement in addressing the problem against the targets set for the current financial year.

A mid-year review by the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation revealed that the problem of contaminated drinking water sources had been addressed in only 4,036 habitations across the country against the target of 26,521 for the financial year 2012-13, putting the national average of achievement at just 15.22 per cent. The Centre has asked the state governments to gear up for achieving the targets of providing safe drinking water in rural habitations by March 2013.

According to an MDWS report, the Karnataka government set a target of addressing the problem of water contamination in 2,218 rural habitations in the State during the current financial year, but it could do so only in 285 villages till last September, registering a 12.85 per cent achievement. Uttar Pradesh registered an achievement of just 0.94 per cent, as it could cover only eight habitations against the target of 850.

Andhra Pradesh could do so only in five habitations against the target of 170 registering an achievement of just 2.94 per cent.  

Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Nagaland are the only three states that could make more than 30 per cent achievement against the target of addressing the problem of contaminated drinking water sources in rural habitations.

Karnataka had failed to achieve the target last financial year too. The state government had targeted 2,000 rural habitations with contaminated drinking water source in 2011-12. It, however, had been able to provide safe drinking water sources in only 1,495 rural habitation till March 2012. Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh had been able to do so in 634 and 189 rural habitations against the targets of 800 and 206 rural habitations respectively during the last financial year.