Impressed with the initiative of Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar invited Rite Water Solutions to install 300 water ATMs in Chandrapur district
Fifteen Water ATMs installed in the city with the initiative of Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule are awaiting formal inauguration.
The Water ATMs to make available pure drinking water at a very cheap rate have been installed in areas dominated by economically weaker section. The initiative, which began from Suradevi village near Koradi, has fetched encouraging response from people. Besides getting 20 litre pure water for only Rs 5, the ATMs will also provide earning source for women’s self-help groups, who have been given responsibility of their maintenance.
Bawankule realised the importance of installing the machines, as by supplying water devoid of contamination, the health problems of villages have also reduced. The example of Suradevi is an ideal example, where drastic reduction in common diseases, particularly water-borne diseases was recorded.
The water ATMs, installed by Rite Water Solutions, Nagpur, became a great success. Abhijit Gan of Rite Water informed that about 100 units have been installed in Nagpur district. Besides Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar invited him for installation of 50 ATMs in Chandrapur district, in the first phase of target of 300 such ATMs in his district. The efforts are aimed at removing heavy fluoride contamination in Chandrapur. In Chandrapur district 80 villages are badly affected by fluoride content in the ground water. The ATMs use water from borewells, which were being used by the villagers, without proper purification of water. The 50 ATMs are being started under CSR fund of BHEL.
In Nagpur city the 15 new ATMs have been installed in Isolation Hospital, Indira Nagar No. 03, Rahate Nagar Toli, Jaitala Market, Ekatmata Nagar, Jogi Nagar, Narendra Nagar, Bhagwan Nagar, Chunabhatti, Somalwada, Pandharabodi, Khamla Old Vasti, Manish Nagar, Sonegaon Vasti and Trimurti Nagar. Thane Municipal Corporation has sought services for installation of 40 units, the work on which will be started within a couple of months. Hingoli and Gadchiroli district also are on the list.
Government of India, under its NITI Ayog has planned to make India fluoride-free. The project has been funded by the World Bank. Some of these ATMs form a part of the major mission of supplying pure drinking water.
The services of Rite Water Solutions has also been sought by other states. Water ATMs have been installed by the Nagpurian in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Rajasthan. In Andhra Pradesh the ATMs will be installed across the state under the government’s NTR Sujalam project.
The SHGs which are being given the responsibility of the ATMs will earn about Rs 1,000 per day. Besides providing earning sources to them, the health problems will be handled effectively.
*Original article online at http://thehitavada.com/Encyc/2018/9/17/Installed-in-areas-dominated-by-economically-weaker-section,-15-water-ATMs-await-formal-inauguration.aspx
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