Bhubaneswar: The civic body and various voluntary associations will together put up more than 100 water kiosks or Jala Seva Shibirs across the city from April 1.

Officials of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation held a meeting on Friday to chalk out plans for this purpose. This year, every water kiosk will have three earthen pots instead of two, which was used to be put up till last year. Each pot will have a capacity to hold 60 to 70 litres of water.

Passers-by will be able to quench their thirst from these kiosks till June 15. The kiosks will provide safe drinking water to the people for free between 8:30am and 4pm. The civic body will get the help of more than 50 organisations for managing the kiosks that will be put up in almost all parts of the city.

"We will rope in voluntary organisations for smooth functioning of drinking water kiosks. The equipment, such as the earthen pots, tumblers and other things, will be provided by the municipal corporation, while private organisations will provide with the manpower needed to run the service," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

Besides, Bhubaneswar Auto Rickshaw Maha Sangh has also informed the civic body that it will put up water kiosks in 38 locations across the city.

"We will help the civic body in managing their water kiosks and will also put up some more by our own," said a member of the auto-rickshaw drivers' union. The Public Health Engineering Organisation has been asked to ensure smooth supply of safe drinking water to the kiosks.