BALANGIR: Residents of Chandanbhati under Balangir Sadar block on Tuesday blocked the main village road for several hours demanding supply of drinking water. Showing solidarity with the villagers of Chandanbhati, all shops and business establishments downed shutters protesting the district administration’s failure to provide drinking water to the locals.The agitators alleged that the administration is not showing seriousness towards the water crisis which the villagers faced during summer months. With the overhead tank in the village failing to meet the needs, the villagers demanded regular water supply to Chandanbhati.
Sources said the water woes are not limited to villages of Sadar block only. Residents of Bhalumunda village under Bangomunda block are reeling under acute water shortage as ponds and other sources have dried up due to intense heat. Hapless villagers depend on the lone tube-well in Bhalumunda which is unable to meet the requirement. As many as 600 families reside in the village.
Similar is the situation in Chanadtora village of Bangomunda. Villagers with only three tube-wells functioning in Chanadtora, both men and women are forced to stand in long queues under the scorching sun to collect water. Mercury is hovering above 40 degree Celsius in the district for the last several days.
Adding to the miseries of locals, rivers like Lanth at Belpara, Arjuni at Bangomunda, Rahul at Gudvela and Suktel at many places in Patnagarh and Loisingha blocks have dried up.
Executive Engineer, RWSS SC Mahanta said the situation is being being monitored by block and district level officials. “Repairing of defunct tube-wells is at the top of our priority list,” he said and added that water woes of Chandanbhati villagers will be resolved soon.