RAIRAKHOL: The promise of drinking water had ensured win of sitting BJD MLA Sanatan Bisi in the 2001 by-election. Bisi had promised a drinking water project for Rairakhol sub-division but years after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation of the project, work is yet to begin.
The project envisaged drawing water from the river Mahanadi in Kiyakata.
With every summer, it becomes an arduous task for the residents of Rairakhol sub-division to get water. At present, Rairakhol NAC area has three deep borewells of which, only the one located at Kadam Padia is functional.
Although the other two were sunk eight months back - one at Nuasahi and another at Jadumanipatna at a cost of Rs 8 lakh and Rs 4.06 lakh respectively - are yet to be operationalised.
In their absence, Khandadhip, Kalindar, Block Colony, Nuasahi, Kachery Road, Tali Sahi, Dehury Sahi, Ratha Sahi, LIC Colony and Panchakhanda Sahi are water stressed.
Although there are 140 tubewells in the NAC area, six of them are completely defunct and ground water depleted in rest of them.
The situation is equally grim in Naxal-infested Naktideul block. To add to the woes, villagers said the water discharge is low and unfit for human consumption.
In Bhalugadia village under Batgaon gram panchayat, people depend on the solitary tubewell on the school premises with 10 tubewells in the village going dry. Similar is the situation in Bandhupali village where people depend on the village stream.