Sambalpur: The hand pump and tap water scheme launched by the government has brought in no relief to the residents of Mahammadpur village under Dhankauda block in this district.
Even as the village is situated 20 km from here, below the Hirakud Dam, it is facing acute drinking water shortage. The fact that the village is situated below the Hirakud Dam and is still facing water crisis is hard to believe.
“We are on the other side of the Hirakud reservoir which is full of water but ironically, we face acute shortage of drinking water,” said Ram Munda, a resident of the village.
Situated on the outskirt of the industrial town of Hirakud, Mahammadpur was once a grampanchayat. It was in 2014 that the village was brought under the jurisdiction of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation and became ward No 12.
“The drinking water has always been a problem in the village and with its increasing population, the problem has become more acute over time,” said another villager.
Although there are four tube wells in the village, only one is functioning while one is defunct and two others pump up red-coloured water filled with iron and lead unfit for consumption.
Consequently, the entire village depends on a single tube-well. Although Hirakud town is covered by water pipelines, no steps have been taken to make piped water accessible to the village, despite repeated pleas.
Villagers met the sub-divisional officer and submitted a memorandum demanding piped water supply. Commissioner of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation, Bimalendu Rai, said a programme had been drawn up and pipe-laying work would start soon to make piped water available to the village.
PNN