Binjharpur: Even as a week was left for the famous Baruneshwar fair to begin here, the district administration except for installing seven tube wells is yet to make adequate arrangements for drinking water in the fair which will be visited by lakhs of people from various parts of the state, a report said Sunday.
It was alleged that people visiting the fair will likely use polluted water of river Kushbhadra as the tube wells installed by the district administration give out muddy water. Moreover, garbage is littered all over the ground even as the district administration is yet to clean up the area.
It was apprehended that this will affect the health of people visiting the fair and might lead to spread of water related diseases.
Locals held the district administration responsible for the problem. They alleged the administration made no drinking water provisions for people in the fair ground.
The famous Baruneshwar Mela was started several years back where traders from outside the state set up their stalls. The fair is a big draw among people in the area. The fair might lose its sheen this year with political controversy erupting over its organization this year.
Sources said a drinking water project was constructed at the fair with an investment of Rs 15 lakh under the Centre-sponsored Swajal Dhara scheme seven years back. The project, however, failed to live up to its expectations and is lying defunct since then.
The administration installed tube wells on a temporary basis to solve the drinking water problem but these gave out muddy water as they have been dug up to only 15-ft.
Unscrupulous vendors without getting water from the administration allegedly use polluted water of river Kushbhadra to prepare food and serve the polluted water to the visitors.
It was alleged that the district officials do not want to make permanent arrangement for drinking water and wants to install tube wells on a temporary basis for their own benefits.
When contacted, RWSS junior engineer Bijayananda Biswal sought to probe the irregularities in installation of tube wells and make provisions for safe drinking water for the visitors. PNN
