Dasmantpur (Koraput): With no tube wells in the village, residents of Nalmari village under Dumbaguda panchayat of Dasamantpur block in Koraput district are forced to consume water from Badanadi River, making themselves prone to various vector-borne diseases.
The lone tube well in the village extracts iron and fluoride content water that is unfit for consumption. Despite repeated requests, the administration has failed miserably to set up new tube wells.
With no other option left, the residents here depend on the river water for cooking, bathing and for other daily chores.
“Even as the government is pumping in crores of rupees for drinking water projects, it does not reach the genuine beneficiaries. We request the administration to take steps to provide safe drinking water to our village,” a resident said.
As per reports, around 300 people belonging to 60 families, reside in the village. The villagers are dependent on the only tube well for drinking and other purposes. However, it fails to cater to their needs.
“The water of the tube well is also not safe as impurities along with the water come out of it. After consuming its water, several persons have fallen ill and developed skin-related diseases,” a woman said.
“We have been using the water of Badanadi River and water pit as the tube well inside the village extracts contaminated and muddy water. No one is bothered to repair the tube well or install a new one, despite repeated requests at several meetings,” said Nir Bisoi, Konala Bisoi, Nila Jani, Pushpanjali Bisoi, Banita Bisoi, Kaita Jani and Sabita Bisoi of the village.
The villagers had alerted the local block development officer, sarpanch, MLA and MP about the scarcity of water in their village, but in vain.
Similarly, they had also informed to the junior engineer of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) about the drinking water problems of the village, but no action has been taken so far.
When contacted, Dharmendra Nayak, the junior engineer of RWSS, said that he would visit the village soon and look into the matter. Meanwhile, the villagers have threatened to stage a protest before the district collector’s office and also boycott polls if no action is taken in this regard.
PNN