Bargarh: The state government launched the Basudha Yojana to supply drinking water to the rural households in the state. However, the scheme has missed the target due to administrative neglect and political apathy.
The Buxi Jagabandhu Assured Water Supply to Habitations (Basudha) scheme was launched November 22, 2018 with the objective to provide adequate safe water for drinking and domestic purposes on a sustainable basis to the rural households.
A case in point is the rural households in Keshripali and Mahulapali villages under Mahulpali panchayat and Bheden block of Bargarh district.
The residents in the twin villages are yet to get water supply to their households as the drinking water project is yet to become functional despite construction of an overhead tank, stand posts and pipe laying works since last two years.
Reports said that the Mahulapali village-3 and Keshripali village are from the same ward and their population is 3,000 and 500 respectively. Drinking water scarcity is the main problem in these two villages. The problem becomes acute when the summer approaches. The water level in the village pond declines and becomes unfit for consumption, forcing people to tread several kilometres to fetch drinking water.
Similarly, three out of the six tube wells in Mahulapali village have become defunct, while the remaining do not pump out enough water to meet the need of the villagers. Likewise, Keshripali village has two tube wells but they do not meet the requirement of the villagers. As a result, the villagers are facing lots of difficulties.
Bijay Karmi of Mahulapali village said that they were expecting that they will get rid of their drinking water problem forever after a drinking water project was launched in the village under Basudha Yojana. However, the project is yet to become functional despite passage of two years.
People are consuming contaminated water and getting afflicted with jaundice, he said.
Krupasindhu Pradhan of Mahulapali village said that people are facing difficulties as the projects are only halfway through and yet to become operational.
He warned that the drinking water problem in the area will spin out of hand if the project is not made operational immediately.
A ward member, Lokanath Sandha said that people are suffering a lot for water. The water problem becomes acute more during summer season when people had walk for around 2 km to get a bucket of water from a tube well.
Efforts to contact Mahulpali sarpanch Pinky Badhei to get her feedback on the issue went in vain.
Rabi Meher, panchayat executive officer, said the project is being implemented by Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) department but refused to speak more on the issue.
PNN