Bhubaneswar: The Public Health Engineering Organisation (Pheo) has decided to strengthen its grievance redress system and have proper monitoring of the same to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply to the residents here this summer.

To begin with, the Pheo has opened a 24x7 helpline number and also started an emergency operation centre to receive complaints related to drinking water supply - be it repair of tube wells or stand-posts, piped water supply system or the supply of drinking water through water tankers.

"People can now call to our 24x7 toll-free number 1077 and file their complaints related to the drinking water supply system. The emergency operation centre will also work round the clock to receive and monitor the grievances," said Pheo superintending engineer Chitta Ranjan Jena.

The Pheo has also decided to monitor grievances at the state government level daily. Grievances received from the public till 2pm, along with remedial action taken by the authorities concerned, will be communicated to the higher authorities at 3pm every day.

The Pheo had earlier started separate helplines for separate divisions that received grievances from 8am to 10pm every day.

"The development commissioner of the government reviewed the grievance redress system last month and recommended the amendment," said a Pheo official.

"It is a good move, but the government needs to ensure that people know about the helpline and the emergency centre to use the service," said social worker Alok Kar.

Sources said the Pheo received around 100 daily complaints from residents related to flaws in water supply system from the three divisions in the city.

"We receive the complaints and attend to the same on a daily basis, but now it is going to be more transparent," said the official.