JAGATSINGHPUR: Non-payment of electricity dues and delay in transfer of power to the newly elected sarpanchs after panchayat polls have led to a water crisis in more than 50 villages of Balikuda block dependent on Sobha pipeline project.
The womenfolk of the eight panchayats, who walk more than two kilometre to nearby villages to fetch clean drinking water, have started a stir demanding immediate supply of water.
The eight panchayats - Naharana, Marichpur, Osakana, Apandara, Khalgaon, Anantapur, Kusupur and Apandara are all beneficiaries of Shova pipeline project. However, the water supply to Naharana and Marichpur was disconnected from the pipeline after unauthorised use of water by the villagers was reported.
Meanwhile, in the remaining panchayats, out of Rs 14 lakh energy dues, Rs 8 lakh was deposited to the Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPCODL). With Rs 6 lakh still pending, TPCODL last month discontinued power supply to Sobha pipeline project, leading to a water crisis.
Former sarpanch of Ananatapur panchayat, Ramesh Chandra Paital said, “Our panchayat had deposited the required share towards energy dues before rural polls but many sarpanchs had not deposited their share before the elections. Now, the newly elected sarpanchs have not got their signature verification done which is required for the transfer of money, thus causing a delay in the payment of energy and other dues.”
Contacted, block development officer Kalyan Saurav Das said the panchayat poll created a little problem for financial transactions but steps have been taken to expedite it within one or two days. He, however, informed that despite their intervention, TPCODL disconnected the power supply causing a water crisis in eight panchayats.