DH News Service, Kolar: "Special attention has to be given to drinking water and one must always use scientifically cleaned water. Awareness about this has to be spread among the rural people about this and programmes have to be undertaken about the same at the Grama Panchayat level,' said Taluk Panchayat President C R Yuvaraj. He was speaking after inaugurating the National Drinking Water and Sanitation Programme at the Kolar Taluk Panchayat on Tuesday. The programme was organised by Taluk Panchayat and Grama Panchayat secretaries and Anganwadi workers. "Many of the diseases that are fatal and dangerous are water borne. We need to create an awareness among the people about the mistakes that are made and usage of dirty water. There programmes need to be held at the Grama Panchayat level,' he said. He also expressed his regret that an important resource is being wasted when there is a dearth of drinking water. "In some places in the rural area, water is stored in large tanks but then it is not covered which leads to wasting of the precious liquid,' he said. The Grama Panchayat secretaries need to take care that this waste is contained so water can be preserved. He also added that contaminated water joins drinking water in some of the places and people who drink this fall ill and with the reducing funds of the Grama Panchayata, there are no resources to combat the diseases. He said that it was responsibility of the GP secretaries to ensure that these problems do not happen to ensure the purity of the water. There are certain regions where water has a lot of elements in it, it has to be checked to see if it is fit for consumption. If in the event it is is not fit for consumption, then people need to be made aware of it. "There is a fee of Rs 25 levied by the grama panchayat on a tap connection. This should be collected without fail as it adds to the revenue of the Grama Panchayat' Yuvaraj said. He also added that these programmes are held to increase awareness about water cleanliness and it is the responsibility of the Grama Panchayat to ensure that its officials execute their responsibility on the matter with utmost care. More attention should be given to rain water harvesting. Attention is to be given about the Nation Rural employment Scheme. The GP Secretaries have to ensure that every home in the village volunteer for rain water harvesting. Water has to be scientifically cleaned and one must work according to the way the eco -system functions and not the other way around. In some places water has a high content of Flouride which can be treated and made fit for consumption.