Bhubaneswar, March 29: The municipal corporation has decided to start the Jalachatra (drinking water kiosks) programme from April 1. In the first phase, the civic body will set up seven kiosks across the city.

Municipal commissioner Sanjib Kumar Mishra said the kiosks would be set up in a phased manner. “More than 60 drinking-water kiosks will be set up in phases in various parts of the city. The kiosks will cater to the needs of people till June 30,” said Mishra.

The seven sites where the kiosks will be initially be set up are Garage Chawk in Old Town, Rajmahal Square, in front of NIC at Unit-III, Vani Vihar bus stand, CRP Square, Near Kanungo Institute at Dumduma and Damana Chhak.

The civic authorities will ensure water supply to the kiosks, which will be managed by some civil society organisations. Corporation sources said the kiosks would be provided with ice bags and oral re-hydration salt sachets for primary treatment of sunstroke victims.

The mercury in the city has already crossed the 40 degrees Celsius mark, leading to apprehensions of a gruelling summer ahead. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 41.2°C on March 26.

“Though the temperature has decreased by two degrees, it is likely to increase from Saturday,” said director of the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre Sarat Chandra Sahu.

Local residents feel the civic body must look after the functioning of the kiosks. “Last year, many of the kiosks would often run out of water. Also, the kiosks were not equipped with first-aid boxes and ice bags to deal with sunstroke cases,” said Lambodar Pradhan, a resident of Bhimtangi.

The city’s water requirement stands at 150 million litres a day (MLPD). While the public health engineering organisation supplies 250 MLPD every day, 100 MLPD goes to waste.

Areas such as Kapilprasad, Sunderpada, Bhimatangi and Dumduma housing board colony face water shortage in summer. Pahala, Nakhara and Hanspal are yet to receive pipe water connections.

However, corporation officials said vulnerable areas would be provided with safe drinking water. “The areas will be provided with adequate drinking water during summer. Water kiosks would be set up on an emergency basis at vulnerable areas,” said a senior official of the corporation.

Sadashiv Panda, a resident of the city, said: “The city used have more than 20 cold drinking-water points but most of them have become defunct because of lack of maintenance. The civic body must fix them.”