290 tribal families in Mudumalai get clean drinking water at homes

However, now we are getting purified water from the same river.

Published: 07th June 2023 06:21 AM | Last Updated: 07th June 2023 06:55 AM | A+A A-

NILGIRIS: Tribal residents of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) can now drink clean water, thanks to the Nilgiri Adivasi Welfare Association (NAWA), who fixed water purifiers in 290 out of 350 tribal houses in Karkudi, Yanaipadi, Thekkupadi, and Lightpadi hamlets with the help of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.The total cost of the project is Rs 14.80 lakh of which Rs 8.50 lakh was sponsored by the New Space India Limited which is a commercial arm of ISRO. Recently, Nilgiris District Collector SP Amrith inspected the cleaners along with MTR field director D Venkatesh.

"Water purifiers with a capacity of 20 liters were installed in each house. It requires no electricity and operates with technology by using the flow of water from the nearby tap for power. This is the first time that the people are getting water inside their houses. BARC developed the advanced membrane filter to ensure that the people get clean drinking water under the project Nanneer Gramam 2.0," said K M Alwas secretary of NAWA. "Last year, we handed over water purifiers to the 40 tribal houses at Banagudi in Kotagiri and our aim is to provide water purifiers to all 7,000 tribal people living across the district," he added.

"Earlier, we used to get water from Moyar river mixed with slush and the condition is worst during the rainy season. However, now we are getting purified water from the same river. Some days after drinking the water, our children are fell ill for a day due to diarrhea and now we don't want to fear before fetching water," said a tribal B Poovizhi Project Manager Nanneer Gramam "UF membrane a technology is being used that will not have water waste and the project which we implemented in Kotagiri is Nanneer Gramam 1.0 is first in south india providing water inside the tribal house and this is Nanneer Gramam 2.0.