Government has taken up an ambitious programme in the Rural Sector also. In the Fourth Five Year Plan period, Rs. 2000 lakhs and Rs. 500 lakhs are likely to be available for piped water supply schemes and simple measure schemes, respectively.

In case of rural water supply, the Maharashtra State has been giving assistance to the extent of 90% of the cost of scheme and the remaining 10% is to be borne by the beneficiaries. The State Government has been endeavouring to obtain large scale financial assistance by way of loan from the L. I. C. of India. A sum of Rs. 192.80 lakhs has been made available by L. I. C. during during 1970-71. Similar yearly loans will help in implement ation of rural water supply schemes in the State on a large scale.

Rural piped water supply schemes costing Rs. 1 lakhs and above are being executed by the Public Health Engineering Organisation of the State Government and schemes below Rs. 1 lakh are being executed through the Zilla Parishads of each district in the State.

In villages, other than 'difficult', the problem is being solved by providing simple measures, like construction of new wells, deepening/repairing of the existing ones and also by the tube wells. This work is executed by the Zilla Parishads of each district in the State. Upto 31st March 1971, 30427 villages were covered by simple measure schemes i. e. under the well construction programme.

In order to ensure that each village under simple measure scheme gets reasonable quantity of water supply,

the State Government has in addition embarked on a tube well drilling programme in consultation with the Government of India and the UNICEF. Under this programme 10,000 tube wells are proposed to be provided in the various districts, during the Fourth Plan period.

Ground Water Survey

For the implementation of this tube

well drilling programme, a Ground Water Survey and Development Agency has been established from 1st July 1971, by the State Government under the control of Chief Geologist. It consists of a number of Geologists and Drilling Engineers, sup ported by requisite skilled and unskilled personnel.

For preparation and execution of the projects projects for Urban Water Supply and Drainage and Rural Water Supply Schemes and also for other Public Health Engineer. ing problems, the State Government has set up a well established Public Health Engineering Organisation headed by the Chief Engineer (Public Health) who is also Joint Secretary to Government. The present set-up at Government level consists of the Chief Engineer assisted by one Superintending Engineer as Deputy Secretary, one Executive Engineer as Under Secretary and six Deputy Engineers. There are four Superintending Engineers in the field, one each at Regional Headquarters of Four Revenue Divisions. Each Circle has from 6 to 8 works divisions and 2 project divisions. Each division has 4 to 5 sub divisions. All project work i. e. work of preparation of schemes is done by Project Divisions and works are executed by works divisions under the Circle.

For control on the quality of potable water, samples from the water works are required to be got tested from time to time through the Public Health Laboratories established in the State. There are in all fifteen Laboratories. In these Laboratories, water and sewage samples from the various water works and sewage disposal works are being tested for physical, chemical and bacteriological characteristics and tests connected with water pollution problems.

The Research work is handled by the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute at Nasik. For this, there is a P. H. E. Wing in-charge of an Officer of the rank of Executive Engineer.

He is assisted by a Deputy Engineer and other staff.

Government bas taken up an ambitious programme in the Rural Sector also. In the Fourth Five Year Plan period, Rs. 2000 lakhs and Rs. 500 lakhs are likely to be available for piped water supply schemes and simple measure schemes, respectively.

In case of rural water supply, the Maharashtra State has been giving assistance to the extent of 90% of the cost of scheme and the remaining 10% is to be borne by the beneficiaries. The State Government has been endeavouring to obtain large scale financial assistance by way of loan from the L. I. C. of India. Á sum of Rs. 192.80 lakhs has been made available by L. I. C. during 1970-71. Similar yearly loans will help in implement ation of rural water supply schemes in the State on a large scale.

Rural piped water supply schemes costing Rs. 1 lakhs and above are being executed by the Public Health Engineering Organisation of the State Government and schemes below Rs. 1 lakh are being executed through the Zilla Parishads of each district in the State.

In villages, other than 'difficult', the problem is being solved by providing simple measures, like construction of new wells, deepening/repairing of the existing ones and also by the tube wells. This work is executed by the Zilla Parishads of each district in the State. Upto 31st March 1971, 30427 villages were covered by simple measure schemes i. e. under the well construction programme.

In order to ensure that each village under simple measure scheme gets reasonable quantity of water supply, the State Government has in addition embarked on a tube well drilling programme in consultation with the Government of India and the UNICEF. Under this programme 10,000 tube wells are proposed to be provided in the various districts, during the Fourth Plan period.

Ground Water Survey

For the implementation of this tube

well drilling programme, a Ground Water Survey and Development Agency has been established from 1st July 1971, by the State Government under the control of Chief Geologist. It consists of a number of Geologists and Drilling Engineers, supe ported by requisite skilled and unskilled personnel.

For preparation and execution of the projects for Urban Water Supply and Drainage and Rural Water Supply Schemes and also for other Public Health Engineer. ing problems, the State Government has set up a well established Public Health Engineering Organisation headed by the Chief Engineer (Public Health) who is also Joint Secretary to Government. The present set-up at Government level consists of the Chief Engineer assisted by one Superintending Engineer Deputy Secretary, one Executive Engineer as Under Secretary and six Deputy Engineers. There are four Superintending Engineers in the field, one each at Regional Headquarters of Four Revenue Divisions. Each Circle has from 6 to 8 works divisions and 2 project divisions. Each division has 4 to 5 sub divisions. All project work i. e. work Project Divisions and works are executed of preparation of schemes is done by by works divisions under the Circle.

as

For control on the quality of potable water, samples from the water works are required to be got tested from time to time through the Public Health Laboratories established in the State. There are in all fifteen Laboratories. In these Laboratories, water and sewage samples from the various water works and sewage disposal works are being tested for physical, chemical and bacteriological characteristics and tests connected with water pollution problems.

The Research work is handled by the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute at Nasik. For this, there is a P. H. E. Wing in-charge of an Officer of the rank of Executive Engineer.

He is assisted by a Deputy Engineer and other staff.

Water Pollution

Increase in the number of industries and factories in the State posed a problem of pollution of rivers and streams and also air due to industrial trade wastes. A Field Unit Division was set up in 1964, which was subsequently converted into Directorate of Water Pollution Investigation Centre and Laboratory.

With a view to provide for prevention, abatement and control of pollution of streams in the S'ate and for maintaining and restoring wholesomeness of water in streams, Government has enacted a law viz. the Maharashtra Prevention of water Pollution Act 1969. Maharashtra State is first in the whole of India including the Centre to enact such a law. According to this Act, the Maharashtra Prevention of Water Pollution Board has been constituted

since 7th September 1970 in-charge of the Chairman and has started functioning.

In the Year 1970-71, a provision of Rs. 5 lakhs was made for staff and equipment for the Directorate. During 1971-72, there is a provision of Rs. 10.0 lakhs for the activities of the Board.

Cost of Urban Water

A sum of Rs. 1,000 crores would be required to provide water supply and sewage facilities in the urban areas and about Rs. 730 crores for providing piped water supply in rural areas, the Minister of State for Health, Mr. D. P. Chattopadhyaya told the Lok Sabha.

During the Fourth Plan, Rs. 401.49crores had been provided under the national water supply and sanitation programme which included urban water supply and sewage and rural water supply schemes.

TIO

There are no signs yet to show that this trend will be checked in the near future and the city administration has, therefore, to prepare itself to provide adequate civic services taking into account the likely growth. In this article, the aspect of water supply, which is perhaps the most important responsibility of the civic body, is dealt with.

Supply Position-Existing And
Future-

The supply presently brought into the city is about 240 million gallons per day (m. g. d.) from the existing five sources, namely, Vaitarna, Tansa, Vehar, Ulhas and Tulsi. The present demand in Greater Bombay is estimated at about 450 m. g. d. and to bridge this gap, two augmentation schemes have been thought of, namely the Upper Vaitarna Scheme to give 110 m. g. d. at an estimated cost of Rs. 53 crores and the Bhatsai 'S' Scheme to yield 100 m. g. d. costing about Rs. 21 crores. However, by the time Bhatsai 'S' Scheme is implemented in 1976 or so, the demand would have shot up further to about 475 m. g. d., and the 2nd stage of Bhatsai will have to be taken up immediately following the 1st stage, to give a further supply of 100 m. g. d.

Upper Vaitarna Project :

The Upper Vaitarna project is now under implementation and works costing about Rs. 33 crores have been completed so far, as a result of which an additional supply of about 30 m. g. d. will be conveyed to the city from October 1971. The

By L. G. Dhayagude,

PROJICT ENGINEER, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF GREATER BOMBAY.

full supply of 110 m. g. d. will be brought by about December 1972 by which time all the functional parts of the scheme will be completed. The supply to the city will then be 350 m. g. d. as against the demand of about 460 m. g. d.

Bhatsai Project :

The Bhatsai river is expected to yield about 300 m. g. d. when the project is fully implemented. It is proposed to tap this source in three stage, of 100 m. g. d. each. The 1st stage, called Bhatsai 'S' Scheme is now in the planning stage. The work on preparation of detailed designs, specifications and tenders will be carried out during October 1971 and October 1972, in which time preliminary works such as approach roads to work-sites, staff quarters and water supply will also be constructed. Construction of the major works will be started in October 1972 and completed by June 1976. The programme set out for implementing various major items of work is given in the table below: