Ranchi, March 12: Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has been making adequate arrangements to quench thirst this summer.

In its latest effort, the civic body has started the process to procure seven new water tankers, of 2,000-litre capacity each, to supplement the existing network of Syntex water tanks.

RMC has already installed 40 such water tanks in those localities, which do not have proper supply of water. Another eight will be installed in a couple of days, said RMC officials.

In another significant development, Ranchi MP Subodh Kant Sahay has given Rs 7.5 lakh for purchasing a mounted water tanker with a capacity of 5,000 litres which is expected to streamline the water supply network to a great extent.

This is the second such water tanker allotted to the RMC by the Union minister for food processing.

Last year, Sahay had allotted Rs 8.5 lakh for purchasing a similar tanker of 9,000-litre capacity. Besides, the civic body has 15 small water tankers of 2,000-litre capacity each.

After RMC gets the new tanker, the total number of water tankers will go up to 17. The Syntex water tanks, installed by the RMC, will be supplied water with the help of the water tankers available with the RMC.

Sahay?s move follows RMC administrator?s request to make available a 5,000-litre truck-mounted water tanker. During a meeting, the local MP, had requested RMC to work on war footing to deal with water crisis. Sahay, in his letter written to Ranchi deputy commissioner Pradeep Kumar, requested him to purchase the water tanker within a fortnight.

As part of its preparation to deal with any possible crisis, the RMC has begun the process of repairing hand pumps in the capital. In Ranchi, there are as many as 1970 hand pumps out of which a good number of them are non-functional.

?We are in the process of repairing them for which accessories worth Rs 7 lakh have been purchased for the purpose. Besides the RMC staff, we have also hired an agency for the repairing work. The agency is supposed to repair 792 hand pumps,? an RMC official said.

RMC has constructed a cemented platform of 4ft-bye-4ft size and of 2-ft height on which the Syntex water tanks have been kept.

Each tank will have a tap attached to it from where the residents of the affected area can take water.