BARIPADA: As the relentless heatwave grips the state, Baripada municipality and its neighbouring villages find themselves in the throes of both scorching temperatures and a dire drinking water crisis.
With an urgent need for 17 million litre of water daily to alleviate the plight of residents across the municipality’s 18 wards, the shortfall of 5 million litre poses a daunting challenge.
Despite efforts by the department to provide pipeline water supply, residents bear with daily inconveniences due to insufficient water reaching their homes.
The Water Corporation of Odisha (Watco) has been tasked with supplying water to over 27,000 consumers, yet alleged bureaucratic delays have left 5,231 families awaiting pipeline connections.
The long-awaited Jambhira mega water supply project, initiated 11 years ago by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, remains incomplete, much to the dismay of locals. Expressing frustration over the project’s prolonged delay, residents Susant Dey and Deepak Raibabu blame both officials and the BJD government for neglecting their responsibilities.
Initially budgeted at Rs 53 crore, the project’s cost ballooned to Rs 84 crore due to delays, aiming to draw water from the Jambhira river to serve around 1.2 lakh residents across 28 wards.
Despite guidelines stipulating completion within a year of tender, officials concerned cited various factors such as land acquisition and fund allocation issues hindered progress. As per information, water for this mega project will be sourced from the multipurpose Subarnarekha Irrigation Project (SIP).
WATCO officials, on condition of anonymity, pointed at short-term solutions like water tank deployment during emergencies, with movable and municipal tanks deployed to alleviate immediate shortages.
“At least eight or nine potable water tanks along with four tanks of Baripada municipality are engaged in providing drinking water to the tanks in case of emergency. Besides, 35 big tanks are presently set up in as many places of the municipality to cater to their drinking water needs,” they stated.
However, they attributed the shortfall to the scorching heatwave this time adding that steps are being taken to tackle the situation.