Joida: District In-charge Minister R V Deshpande has directed the officials concerned to prepare a project plan for making use of Kali river water to solve the drinking water crisis in the taluk, under the State government’s prestigious ‘Jaldhara’ scheme.

The taluk and district officials should send a proposal in this regard to the State government, he said.

He noted this while speaking to taluk and district level officials during a progress review meeting held in the town on Saturday.

The minister said, there is a need for using Kali river water to meet the drinking water needs of the people of the region. Already, a team from Puna is conducting research in regards to the projects which aim for making use of Kali river water for drinking purpose in many districts, he added.

At present, the taluk is receiving good rains. If there are cases of property loss due to rain and other natural disasters, the officials concerned must take immediate measures to provide compensation to the affected, he directed the tahsildar.

He also directed the Horticulture Department officials to visit the places, where arecanut plantations were hit by the unavailability of water in the taluk and asked to distribute compensation at the earliest.

Speaking on rain water leakages in new hospitals, which were constructed last year at Kumbarwada, Ramnagar, and Jagalpet in the taluk, he asked the district-level officials to visit the hospitals, conduct an inspection and take appropriate measures.

Zilla Panchayat Vice-president Santosh Renuke, members Ramesh Naik, Sanjay Hanabar, Taluk Panchayat President Narmada Patnekar, and others were present on the occasion.