Ensure drinking water in scarcity areas, Bengal officials told

Acting on complaints that even routine maintenance of drinking water sources have been stopped in hot and humid West Bengal citing the poll code, Chief Election Commissioner V.S.Sampath Sunday asked officials to ensure there was no hindrance in that regard.

"One of the complaints made by political parties was that routine maintenance of drinking water sources were not carried out citing model code of conduct. It was made clear to officers nothing will come in the way to provision of drinking water to scarcity areas because of the present summer season," Sampath told the media.

Earlier in the day, the full bench of the commission held a series of meetings with political parties, bureaucrats and police officers.

"When required in the polling station vicinity, they can sink borewells," he said.

The Election Commission also requested state Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra to provide funds as required for providing drinking water facilities in polling stations. "Some of them are in need of repairs. The school education department was asked to provide funds to carry out basic repairs," he said.