AGARTALA, May29 (TIWN): Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) significantly Ratan Bhowmik said requirements of regular supply by tankers have gone down significantly in the past few weeks.

Speaking to reporters at the civil secretariat on Thrusday evening, the minister said that drinking water is currently distributed to 137 habitations across 46 gram panchayats in 13 blocks of the state distant habitations where 31 tankers are supplying water.

“The dry spell has lessened in most parts of the state with the onset of monsoon, here today. The drought condition is mostly restricted to Dhalai and North Tripura district,” he said. Mr. Bhowmik said two months back water was supplied by tankers to 399 habitations under 166 villages in 35 administrative blocks as drinking water source were dried up due to dry spell.

A total of 75 habitations are currently without any source of drinking water, he said adding that work is currently in progress to bring all of these under drinking water supply cover by next month. Mr Bhowmik also claimed that there was no reported case of water borne diseases in the state till date. He also informed that in this financial year more 295 iron removable plants (IRP) will be built throughout the state at present there are 660 IRP’s.