Hyderabad, Aug 16th: The state government’s ambitious scheme to manufacture and supply low cost mineral water has all but dried up because of the drought. Though the launch of the scheme was scheduled to take place on Independence Day, it has now been postponed for at least three months. The packaged drinking water scheme under public private partnership required private entrepreneurs to dig bore wells. It has become difficult for the government to draw water for the scheme as the groundwater levels has plummeted in most districts because of the monsoon failure.

The minister for rural water supply, Mr. P. Vishwaroop, said that the companies short listed for installing the reverse osmosis plants sought three months to install the plants, but drought was the main reason for postponement of the scheme. The state government has decided to sell purified water to the general public at Rs 2 per 20 liters and for SC/ST tribes at Re 1 for 20 liters. Each plant was to be set up at a cost of Rs 6 lakh to 7 lakh. The private entrepreneur has to set up the plant while the government will provide a water source and land.