Cuttack, April 19: Orissa High Court today expressed dissatisfaction on a status report concerning availability of drinking water in anganwadi centres (AWCs) across the state.

The Orissa government was hauled up, as the status report had no definite information on number of the AWCs with the drinking water facilities. It had also no clear information on number of the AWCs functioning in rented accommodations and availability of drinking water on these private premises.

The high court is monitoring provision of drinking water facilities at the AWCs in Orissa while adjudicating a PIL on implementation of the special nutrition programme (SNP) and the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme.

Taking note of allegations that drinking water was not available in as many as 9,543 AWCs, the high court had directed the rural development department to drill tube wells on a war footing basis and ensure supply of drinking water to these AWCs. Director of the social welfare department Sujata Karthikeyan had filed the status report.

Petitioner counsel and former law minister Narsingh Mishra today accused the government of misleading the court by stating that only in 1,463 AWCs, there was no drinking water facility. However, the Mayurbhanj collector’s report, annexed to it, had stated that in his district 2,122 AWCs had no provision for drinking water, said Mishra.

Mishra further said that the government had filed a wrong report by stating that drinking water facility had been made in all AWCs in Khurda district. However, it is not available at the AWCs at Bolagada, Tangisahi, Godiali, Ghoradia, Godipatna, Trutiapada, Manibandha, Samukapatna and Kodabereni under the Bolagada block of Khurda district, he said.

The two-judge bench of Chief Justice V. Gopal Gowda and Justice B.N. Mohapatra directed the principal secretary of the women and child welfare to file a detailed report by April 29 on number of the AWCs functioning on government premises and rented accommodations along with status of the drinking water facility.

The bench also directed for a detailed report on the process adopted for ensuring supply of dal to effectively run the mid-day meal scheme.

The status had stated that a total of 1,463 AWCs with no safe drinking water facility had been included in the action plan 2010-11 of the rural water supply scheme (RWSS) for installation of hand pump tube wells. “Till March 15, hand pump tube wells have been installed in 847 AWCs of the 1,463 AWCs. Steps are being taken for installation of the balance tube wells during 2011-12,” the report said.

“Since a large number of the AWCs are functioning in rented accommodations, no tube well or sanitary well can be provided on such private premises. However, steps shall be taken to make safe drinking water available within a distance of 250 metres from such private premises, if need be,” said director of the social welfare department.