Angul: Of the two summer months in Odia Calendar, Baisakh has already passed by and Jyestha is about to end. That said, the process of setting up of drinking water kiosks across Angul district is yet to get over.
By this time, the drinking water kiosks across Angul district usually get functional. But this year not a single such kiosk has been opened as yet even though there has been a clear a direction from revenue and disaster management department mandating all districts to open drinking water kiosks in market areas and by roadsides.
In the industrial town of Angul, mercury began to soar from March. Since people did not come out of their houses due to coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions, the absence of drinking water kiosks did not affect them.
That said, people have now started coming out of their houses. And they feel the scorching sun and search for roadside drinking water facility. Meanwhile, a sunstroke death was even reported from the district. But no promptness was noticed from the administration to set up such most necessary facilities.
That said, in a recently concluded natural disaster management meeting in the district, the collector directed the concerned officials to open such kiosks.
Angul town residents said the frequent rainfall showers have helped reduce the temperature to some extent. This apart, monsoon is round the corner. “The time when we needed the kiosks most, there was none. Now, when there is hardly any requirement of them, they are going to be set up,” a local man said.
On conditions of anonymity, an official of the collectorate admitted it that there has been a delay in setting up the kiosks. Attributing it to the officials being busy for coronavirus management, he said as per the direction of the collector such kiosks would soon be opened.