MRSAC to prepare base data maps of drinking water sources



By Kartik Lokhande 
How to realise the vision of providing drinking water to all? This was the big question before the State Government considering the fact that there was no accurate data available with it regarding the drinking water sources. Against this backdrop, now, Water Supply and Sanitation Department (WSSD) has asked Maharashtra Remote Sensing Applications Centre (MRSAC) to prepare base data and detailed maps in this regard.
WSSD, on Wednesday, informed all the Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors, and Chief Executive Officers of all Zilla Parishads in the State regarding this decision. As per the decision, MRSAC has been asked to prepare maps of public sources of drinking water supply through Global Positioning System (GPS). Further, it has been asked to develop a mobile phone application (Mobile App), web-based Geographical Information System (GIS) etc. These will pave way for effective implementation of Water Quality Monitoring and Survey Programme.
Dr Subrata Das, Director, MRSAC, told ‘The Hitavada’ that the developments would pave way for implementing the Government’s commitment and vision of providing drinking water to all. “Under the project, MRSAC will be conducting collection and compilation of detailed data relating to source of drinking water supply, habitation that requires drinking water, distance between the source and the habitation, how will water reach the location of requirement etc. Detailed mapping will be done to prepare accurate data, which will be treated as base data,” he said.
Once the data is collected and compiled, it will be available on a separate website for people, Dr Das said. Then, the people will be able to locate drinking water source, availability of water, quality of water available etc. It will help in reducing administrative and maintenance issues. There will be periodic monitoring of source water for its quality, though the period of monitoring is yet to be finalised, he added.
WSSD has given its nod to signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nagpur-based MRSAC and Belapur-based Water and Sanitation Institute. The project involves zeroing in on drinking water sources in 34 districts, excluding Mumbai and Mumbai suburbs, collecting samples and assessing quality of water at the source.
The project also involved maintenance of works done at the source for two years. “As maintenance and repairs cannot be done through available manpower, these works will have to be outsourced to private firms. For the purpose, company will be finalised after following tenders. Director of Water and Sanitation Institute, Belapur, will be the authority for implementing tender process,” states a communication issued by Nandkishor Garud, Deputy Secretary, WSSD.
For the tasks cut out for MRSAC, WSSD will pay to it an amount of Rs 49.18 lakh. Of this, half of the amount -- Rs 24.90 lakh -- has been released and remaining will be released in a phased manner. 

(Filed on March 4, 2015)

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