Rayagada: The shortage of drinking water has multiplied the woes of villagers in the densely populated tribal district of Rayagada. With summer approaching, the inertia of civic bodies is worsening the situation.
Jarabadi is a village in Baisingh panchayat under Sadar block and is just eight km away from the district headquarters. Around 35 families live here.
Keeping in mind the drinking water problem here, a tube well was dug by the rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) department. After the tube well stopped yielding three more were dug spending lakhs of rupees. Of the four tube wells three are now dysfunctional.
Much before reaching Jarabadi, around 1.5 km away, there is a tube well fixed on a platform on an existing well. It is hardly used by villagers as it is located in a remote place.
The villagers mostly fetch water from a small spring on top of the hill. They have no other choice, but to use the spring water even though it is unfit for drinking. Very often the villagers suffer from contagious diseases due to this.
Despite the complaints of villagers the authorities are not responding.
Block development officer Rajendra Majhi said, “The dysfunctional tube wells will be repaired soon and the spring’s surroundings will be disinfected.”
But the question is, as snakes and animals are moving around there would it be enough to just spray bleaching powder on the polluted spring water and allow it to be used by the villagers?
Baisingh panchayat executive officer Surendra Kumar Patra said, “Repairing of the tube wells and the hilltop spring will be taken up soon. We have enough funds.”
The views of the civic authorities have confused villagers. The main reason for tube wells becoming dysfunctional so early is the low water-table here.
PNN