CUTTACK: The failure of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to set up temporary drinking water kiosks has drawn the ire of citizens harried by the rising temperatures of the summer.Every year, the CMC erects temporary 'Jala Chhatras' or water kiosks from which citizens could drink water. This time as well, the civic body had announced that it will set up water kiosks in all 59 of its wards by the first week of April."Roadside water kiosks are much needed for pedestrians and commuters. In a majority of areas, there are no cold water units or any alternative drinking water facilities," said Sarthak Das , a city banker.The CMC had decided to install at least 120 water kiosks. The public health engineering organisation (PHEO) was asked by the CMC to install at least two plastic water tanks in each of the 59 wards. "The water tanks should be placed under proper sheds to ensure supply of cool water to people. Only 15 to 20 wards have been covered under the project so far. We will take up the matter with PHEO and ask them to install water tanks at the earliest," said Ranjan Biswal , chairman of the CMC's standing committee for public health, sanitation and water supply.The PHEO will fill safe drinking water in these kiosks on a daily basis, with its tankers.The CMC has also asked the PHEO to make all defunct cold water units functional within a week. "We have so far installed over 70 plastic water tanks in different wards and the remaining tanks will be installed by the end of this week," said executive engineer of PHEO, S Ghadei. PHEO officials said over 600 tubewells in the city have been repaired to ensure supply of safe drinking water.

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