A SURVEY by the Rajiv Gandhi NationalDrinking Water Mission, ministry ofrural development revealed that 78 percent of the 2,769 habitations in 18 districts of Uttar Pradesh lacked safesources of drinking water. The study,assessing the position of potable water inthe rural residences, was done in thewestern part of the state exceptingSitapur.
The report said most of thetubewells have been out of order oversix months. Scanty rain, little groundwater recharge and heavy pumpingfor irrigation were lowering thewater level, decreasing it by a foot everyyear. If the recharge capacity is notimmediately increased the ruraldrinki -ng water system will collapse.The worst affected area is along thebanks of Chambal river. A bucket ofwater is sold at Rs 12 there during summer. At this rate it would be impossibleto stop people from migrating to otherregions and states in search of potablewater.
Already, contrary to the censusreports, lots of villages were found uninhabited. Interestingly, India's statedposition in the UN is that it has providedsafe drinking water to 75 per cent of itshouseholds.