BARIPADA: The villagers of Gobindrachandrapur Ward No-5 and 6 and the adjoining villages under Shamakhunta block in Mayurbhanj district are deprived of water supply facilities for the last three years after the Hydram pipeline water supply project developed a technical snag reportedly due to poor maintenance.
The Minor Irrigation Division of Baripada set up the project worth Rs 19.44 lakh funded by the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) in 2014-15 with the objective of providing water supply to 63 acres of land during the Kharif season. It would also help preserve the water flowing from the Sitakunda waterfall over Palpala Nalla. To cater to the drinking water needs of people in these localities, mostly tribals, the department also set up two tanks for water filtration and purification.
However, an operational snag developed soon after cyclone Yaas as the pipelines got dislocated and the project failed to preserve water, said the villagers. Though the project maintenance was the division’s responsibility, since its establishment none of the officials ever visited the site, alleged Gouramohan Singh, Soma Singh, Ruhidas Singh, and all villagers. “We apprised the officers of the department several times and requested to repair the project but no attention was paid,” the villagers complained.
The minor irrigation division of the district received the Chief Minister’s award in 2014 for the innovative Hydram project. The other three Hydram projects running in the district from 2014-15 are in Mudra Jodi, Digdia and Dhobanisul villages.
Contacted, Executive Engineer of the division, Mahesh Prasad Patnaik, said the project was funded by IAP and the department wanted it to fund the restoration too. “Even Mudra Jodi project is in a dire state. But IAP has not sanctioned funds. As soon as funds are available, steps will be taken to restart the projects,” he said. ‘Hydram’, a multipurpose low-cost Hydraulic Ram Pump facilitates the supply of water to places on higher altitudes.