Water scarcity is an inevitable problem that mineral rich Koida block in the district faces every year. And the district administration has been struggling to counter it for the past several years.
Kalta, Koida, Tensa, Karmanga, Swyambha, Malda and Patmunda gram panchayats (GPs) are already reeling under water crisis which will aggravate in April and May.
Zilla Parishad (ZP) member of Koida (B) constituency, Santosh Mahakud, said though water tankers are pressed for supplying water in block headquarters, those cannot be sent to remote villages due to lack of motorable roads.
The block having a population of around 71,000 depends on 475 tubewells and other natural sources of water including open wells and five water streams. However, with rise of temperature, groundwater depletes and the streams dry up and the situation remains such for at least two months.
Under these circumstances, villagers either walk several kms to fetch water or dig up dried up sand bed of stream to collect water.
However, ZP member of Koida (A) constituency Sushila Munda claimed that the situation has improved to some extent with installation of a number of tubewells. She said vast areas from Tora to Gopna still face acute water crisis and demanded another tubewell for the Chordhara school having 120 students.
Bonai Sub-Collector RK Nayak said administration is taking all possible steps to meet water needs of people. Recently, four tubewells were dug up at Relhatu GP.