Bhubaneswar, May 5: A suggestion from a civil defence volunteer to use one water facility for dual purposes has set the government into action mode.

In November last, the volunteer, Gourahari Nanda, had sent a proposal to the state government for setting up a water hydrant system at Kargil Road to tackle fire mishaps and supply drinking water to residents during summer.

Though so far, he has received only one acknowledgement letter regarding his proposal, the urban development department has already sought the views of concerned departments and government agencies over the feasibility of the project.

Nanda, whose firm Odisha Rescue Team is involved in post-disaster management activities, said he had written to the government about his plan that would help in better fire disaster management in the city.

"Last November, I had written to chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the local MLA, housing and urban development department, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and other agencies concerned. So far, I've received only one acknowledgement letter. I hope that the government will take up the matter and allow me to go ahead with the project," said Nanda.

He has chosen Kargil slum as his place of operation for the water hydrant system. Once the first-of-its-kind system starts operating here, it will help tackle fire disasters in nearby areas such as Pokhariput, Bhimtangi, Palaspali, aerodrome and the slum itself. As a train line passes nearby, it would also help control fires on trains, mostly the coal-laden ones that frequently catch fire en route. The water reservoir to be built at the spot will also help providing drinking water to residents during summer, he said.

In case of any fire incident in the locality, the pump house would pump off water and the volunteers would use it through the hydrant and the hose to put out the fire. Even the fire tenders can use the water, and the volunteers would help them in extinguishing the fire, he said.

The civil defence volunteer said the project would not cost much as his firm would take it up completely and maintain for lifetime. The government would only have to provide land and the local civic body to dig the borewells and lay the pipelines.

"My firm will take care of manpower and all other things. We will build tanks that can hold up to over six lakh litres of water, which can be used for fire fighting. Besides, we can train the local people in disaster management," he said.

A state government official said they had gone through the letter and would visit the spot before taking a decision on the issue. However, some officials, who did not wish to be named, did not appear interested in it.

Housing and urban development department under secretary Belalsen Behera confirmed that his department had got the letter from Nanda. "It is an ambitious project. We have sent the letter to the urban public health department for their views," said Behera.

Moreover, he said, the public health organisation had instructed its superintending engineer, Bhubaneswar circle, for carrying out a field study. Superintending engineer Chitta Ranjan Jena, too, said he had got the letter earlier this month and would take a decision on it.

The local fire brigade officials, who had also got a letter from Nanda, said they forwarded it to their higher officials. Assistant fire officer Ramesh Majhi, who is in charge of Kalpana fire station, was informed about it. But, a civic body official said they had not yet received any such letter.