DJB plans 250 water ATMs in schools to combat heat

The Delhi Jal Board is planning to install 250 water ATMs in schools as a measure to tackle heatwave and adverse weather conditions in the national capital, officials said.

Under the Delhi government’s action plan, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced several measures that were being implemented in the city to tackle the heatwave. One of which is installing more water ATMs in schools, bus queue shelters, and other public spaces, they said.

“The aim is to provide regular, safe, and clean drinking water to children studying in government, government-aided, and local body schools, as well as to residents and passersby, thereby reducing dependence on tanker water,” the officials said.

As per the plan, the machines will be equipped with a GPS for showing real-time location and the facility of remote monitoring, auto-flushing, and self-regulation of key processes, ensuring minimal human intervention.

“Each machine will have four to six taps, and the water will go through four levels of filtration before being supplied in schools,” an official added. The work has to be completed in three months.

The schools in Delhi have also been directed to ring a bell every 45-60 minutes to remind students to drink water and pair them up in a “buddy system” to monitor each other’s health.

These were part of fresh precautionary measures issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE) last week for Delhi government schools, aided schools, and private unaided recognised schools.

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This comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of a likely heatwave and adverse weather conditions in the national capital in the coming days.

During a recent review meeting with all the departments, Gupta also directed the DoE to make arrangements for the ORS solution across schools in Delhi.