Chandikhole: There is a testing laboratory at Chandikhole under Barchana block in Jajpur district to examine water samples collected from Barchana, Dharmashala, Bari and Rasulpur blocks. The laboratory is managed by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation department. However, as it is not functioning properly leading to thousands of tube wells lying useless in the four blocks. This is because testing of water below the soil on which the tube wells have been set up has not been carried out in a proper manner. Paperwork done by officials of the department however, shows that tube wells are functioning properly. In reality however, the picture is quite the opposite.
There are five people working in the lab – two chemists, two lab assistants and one sample collector.
The job of sample collector is to collect water from different areas of the four blocks mentioned earlier. The water then has to be tested for its quality and whether it is suitable for consumption. Only when the water is deemed fit for consumption, then only the Rural Drinking Water Supply department sinks the tube wells.
The concerned department claimed that every month samples are collected from over 250 places and tested. However, other sources informed that the number of samples collected is much less than what is being quoted. They said that at the most only 25-30 samples are tested in the lab. They pointed out that on most occasions the lab remains locked. However, documents allegedly ‘fake’ show that it is working smoothly.
Locals also asked whether it is possible for a single person to collect water samples from 250 different places. They said it is humanly impossible.
When contacted, executive engineer of Chandikhole Drinking Water Supply department, Sushant Kumar Ghadei asserted samples are being collected from over 250 places. “Every month, water samples are collected from over 250 places and we are conducting tests. We are yet to come across water samples containing iron,” Ghadei said. He however, failed to explain why the topic of iron in water suddenly came up.