The supply of drinking water for many rural and urban areas remains a perennial problem in East and West Godavari districts, and with summer already in, people in rural and urban areas are concerned over the supply in the coming months.

Villages like Gokavaram, Sitanagaram, Sankhavaram, Peddapuram, Tuni, Samalkot etc are reeling under severe drinking water crisis, with borewells being their main source of drinking water.

However the ground water levels are fast depleting in these regions and with frequent power cuts, the villagers are unable to draw sufficient water to meet their needs.

The drinking water supply in municipalities of Peddapuram, Tuni, Mandapeta, Ramachandrapuram and Valasapakala, Timmapuram on the outskirts of Kakinada is no better.

The surrounding villages of Rajahmundry like Kolamur, Konthamur, Mirthipadu, Katheru etc are being supplied water through tankers. The municipal corporation of Rajahmundry is supplying 64.5 MLD of water to the people against the requirement of 75 MLD, which is 135 litres of water per day in the city.

The MCR had given Rs 250 crore to cater to the water needs of the city and 15 surrounding villages for the next 20 years.

Though there are sufficient funds, Rural Water Supply department is not able to supply drinking water to the rural areas.

The authorities even failed to prepare an action plan. The bores were not repaired and the department is now identifying the villages which have no proper source.

Kovvur, on the banks of river Godavari, is not supplied with river water.

Similar situation is prevailing in Eluru, Bhimavaram, Tadepalligudem and Tanuku where there is an acute shortage of drinking water.

MCR superintendent engineer Mohinuddin said steps are being taken to supply drinking water to every nook and corner of the city.

Rajamundry Has

* 30,750 domestic taps

* 1,800 public taps

* 21 overhead tanks with a storage capacity of 23,000 kilo litres

But none of this are of use, as officials have failed to make arrangements for water supply.