BALASORE: Lack of access to safe drinking water has emerged as a major concern for flood-hit villagers in six blocks of the costal district.
Six days after Subarnarekha river breached its banks, residents of low-lying areas in Bhograi, Baliapal, Jaleswar, Basta, Remuna and Balasore Sadar blocks are struggling to access clean water.
Rebati Dey of Bhograi said while tap water supply has been stopped, the tube-wells are submerged in floodwater. “We are forced to use contaminated water for our daily chores. Though there is the risk of water-borne diseases, we have no other option,” she rued.
Dey further said ASHA and anganwadi workers have started distributing medicines and halogen tablets in some areas. But the workers are not able to reach panchayats which are marooned by the floods.
Kumbhirgadi is one such panchayat in Bhograi which has been completely cut-off for the last six days due to the flood. With the administration failing to reach the panchayat, the villagers are forced to fetch water from a distant village on boat.
The local administration is reportedly providing one water bottle and 500 gram chuda to each family in the flood-affected areas. Villagers said they are fast running out of food supplies and the water crisis has compounded their misery. A single bottle of water is insufficient to meet the needs of a family. The administration should provide sufficient water bottles in the flooded areas. Besides, water supply through tankers should resume in villages which can be accessed by roads, they said.
Former sarpanch of Bishnupur in Baliapal block Gunakar Sahoo said the panchayat has been submerged with floodwater reaching the verandah of most of the houses. Families who are economically sound are going to local markets on boats to procure water bottles. But the poor villagers are forced to consume the contaminated floodwater. The local administration should immediately make arrangements to supply clean drinking water to the flooded villages of Bishnupur, Sahoo added.
Additional district magistrate Hemanta Kumar Singh said dry food like chuda and water bottles have been supplied to flood-hit areas as per requirement. Besides, cooked food is being provided to the affected villagers. The field-level officers have been instructed to monitor the supply of relief items including drinking water to the affected villages.
Deluge distress
Residents of low-lying areas in Bhograi, Basta, Baliapal, Jaleswar, Remuna and Sadar struggle to access clean water
Villagers are fast running out of food supplies and the water crisis has compounded their misery