Jaipur: The PHED claimed that out of 6,849 habitations affected by fluoride in the state, 85% target have been achieved to provide safe drinking water in these areas.

Drinking water supply has been achieved in 5,815 habitations, while work is in progress in this direction in the remaining 1,034 habitations.

Principal secretary (PHED) Rajesh Yadav on Thursday reviewed the works under the ‘National Water Quality Sub Mission’ (NWQSM) in the state and directed the officials to complete the work in remaining 15% fluoride affected habitations with safe drinking water in a phased manner by December.

He said the additional chief engineer should give top priority to this work by continuous monitoring and send progress reports regularly. He directed all the additional chief engineers and superintendent engineers to take seriously the task of collecting and examining samples of drinking water in the areas under them. Assistant engineers and junior engineers in the districts should also focus equally on the task of ‘sample-collection’ whenever they go on field visits. Engineers should also take the chemist with them during the tour to ensure timely collection of water samples from urban and rural areas as per the target, he said.

It was informed in the meeting that 15,321 samples of drinking water have been tested in the state in the current financial year till the end of August, of which 5,718 have been entered online.

In the meeting, department officials were also instructed to coordinate with all district collectors and local representatives for utilizing the amount of DMFT funds in districts for water-to-house works under Jal Mission project.