DHENKANAL: IN villages on the periphery of Anantpur reserve forest of Dhenkanal district, human beings and animals drink water from the same nullah.
Tribal women of Kaimati and its adjacent villages under Jhili panchayat in remote Kanakdahada block trudge miles barefoot on kutcha roads to fetch their daily requirement of water from the nullah, which also serves as the water hole for wild animals.
The women enter elephant-populated reserve forest every morning risking their lives, to collect the water. A herd of elephants was spotted roaming in the forest all through last week, said the villagers. “All the wandering animals come here to quench their thirst,” say Nagi Soren and other tribal women, adding “We also fill our utensils from the same water body for drinking purposes.”
Elephants, bear, boar and other animals frequent the place during day as well as night, but we have no option as the only tubewell near the villages supplies non-potable water and dries up during peak summer, said tribals of Munda and Santala community who inhabit the villages.
It is not that the district administration is unaware of their plight. “We have represented the matter with the administration in weekly grievance cell in presence of Collector but no Rural Water Supply and Sanitation officials turned up to survey the water facilities or provide an alternative,” alleged social activist Umakant Mahant.
Similar is the plight of Dangapal villagers. Tubewells have gone dry and women walk long distances to collect water.Their repeated complaints to authorities fallen in deaf ears. Though the villagers expose themselves to elephants to get water, the administration has been blisssfully aloof, he added.
Executive Engineer, RWSS, Bijaynanda Sahoo said officials will be sent to survey the spot and necessary steps will be taken.