Malkangiri: A lot of development has taken place in various pockets of Swabhiman Anchal in Malkangiri after Gurupriya Setu was commissioned. However, there are many remote villages in hilly terrains which are deprived of safe drinking water. People in some villages still depend on stream water, a report said.
According to the report, Malkangiri district is a hilly and forested region. The area has Kalimela, Satiguda dams, rivers like Poteru, Saberi, Pangam and several streams. In monsoon, areas close to these rivers are flooded. But in summer, they are hit hard by water crisis.
Before Gurupirya setu was made functional in 2018, there was no tube well and piped drinking water projects in scores of villages under nine panchayats of Swabiman Anchal.
Thereafter, various developmental works like roads and tube wells were made in many villages while many villages have been awaiting basic facilities like roads and drinking water. In the absence of tube wells, people have fed on stream water.
Meanwhile, tube wells have gone defunct in the area, forcing people to drink stream water. According to the RWSS, there are 12,223 tube wells in seven blocks. 34 of the tube wells have gone defunct.
Besides, 48 drinking water projects out of total 362 have been out of order. Moreover, 100 solar-powered drinking water projects are not working now.
Locals alleged that water of some tube wells is not fit for drinking as the water has a more ferrous content.
According to official sources, a population of over 6 lakh is in 1058 villages under seven blocks of the district.
Ensuring drinking water in the hilly and forested pockets has been a challenge for the administration particularly in summer.
On the other hand, the administration has been pushing road connectivity in remote areas on a priority basis so that other development activities are carried forward.
PNN