BARGARH: Dasrath Pradhan is a saviour for many thirsty souls of Pudhiatikra village in Bargarh Sadar block. Every summer, he allows fellow villagers to draw water from the dug well in the courtyard of his house.
He is, however, worried that water in the well would deplete once release of water into Hirakud main canal is stopped after May 10. This will have an impact on the ground water level in areas that are irrigated by the Hirakud canal system.
As intense heatwave grips the district paralysing normal life, villagers of Pudhiatikra have just one tube well and the dug well to rely upon.
There are 400 people in the village. In fact, there are four tube wells in the village but just one functions and that too pumps out very little water. The depleting ground water level has rendered the three others defunct.
Even as work on a piped water supply project was started in the village some months back, it is moving at a snail’s pace. Under the project, water would be drawn from Jeera river, collected in an overhead tank and distributed through pipelines after treatment. As of today, only pipelines have been laid and construction of the overhead tank is underway.
Once complete, the project will fulfil water demands of Nua Sarasara, Dungritikra and Pudhiatikra villages. Villagers demanded supply of water through tankers till the project is commissioned.
Collector Anjan Kumar Manik said the administration is aware of water needs of the village and steps have been initiated to provide drinking water. Till the administration help arrives, Dasrath’s dug well will be their only hope.