Bhubaneswar: Land acquisition issues are coming in the way of executing drinking water supply projects planned under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) scheme in the city.

The Public Health Engineering Orgaisation (Pheo), the executing agency for the water supply projects, has come up with the list of the places where land acquisition is posing a problem. It has asked the general administration department to fast-track the process of land alienation.

The problems are arising at different places of the city such as Bhoi Nagar, where there is a need of three decimal land for provision of water supply to uncovered areas in Ward No. 29, in Jayadev Vihar where seven decimal land is needed to cater to the water supply needs of wards 16, 20, 21 and 26 and two sites each at Pandara and Shampur.

"We have come up with the list and forwarded the same to the general administration department. They will look into the matter, alienate the land and hand those over to us for execution of the projects," said Pheo superintending engineer C.R. Jena.

Sources said after execution of these projects, more than 5,000 persons living in the areas, especially the urban poor, will benefit from it.

"We have come up with a plan to extend water supply connection to every ward. Under Amrut, we are working to provide free water supply to the urban poor," said Jena.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an ambitious scheme to extend water supply to all urban areas by 2020. It was also decided to increase the per capita water consumption from the present 135 litre per day to 150 litre to the households in the urban areas.