Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, June 14, 2024: The ongoing heatwave severely disrupted daily life, and its impact is now being felt on the state’s water supply—even at the residence of a PHED minister.
PHED minister faced water scarcity:
On Friday, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu faced an interruption in water supply at his official accommodation in Patna. Ironically, the PHED is the department responsible for providing safe drinking water to every household in Bihar.
“There could be faults in the water pipelines. I have complained to the civic agency (Patna Municipal Corporation). Our government under CM Nitish Kumar has a vision to provide tap water to every house. Our Prime Minister shares the same vision to ensure potable water for every household,” Bablu told reporters.
Officials said the problem appeared to be due to negligence or technical faults in the Patna Municipal Corporation’s network.
The Minister, who has not yet been allotted a government bungalow, currently resides in a newly built MLA flat in Patna. Despite being equipped with modern facilities, the flats have also reported irregular water supply in recent days.
Water levels are declining rapidly:
Meanwhile, officials have warned that the water crisis could worsen if the state does not receive rainfall soon. According to the Water Resources Department, the water levels of major rivers are declining rapidly.
If there is no rain within a week, river levels could drop by half a metre, officials said. Water levels at major barrages are also falling—with only 33,000 cusecs remaining at the Birpur Barrage on the Kosi River and about 10,000 cusecs at the Valmiki Nagar Barrage on the Gandak.
The department has termed the situation “serious,” warning that prolonged heat and delayed monsoon could further strain Bihar’s water supply in both urban and rural areas.