Telkoi: The government spends crores of rupees to provide safe drinking water under Swajaldhara Yojna in rural pockets, but tribal people in many villages under Telkoi block of Keonjhar still depend on hilly streams for their drinking needs.
A case in point is Sapalanji village in Oria panchayat where 30 Juanga families reside.
No tube well or overhead tanks has been set up in the village even 70 years after Independence, lamented some local intelligentsia.
Locals complained of health problems due to drinking of contaminated water from the stream.
“Many people were affected with jaundice and skin diseases in the village,” said Amruta Juanga, the ward member.
“We have taken up the issue of the need for safe drinking water through tube well with the block administration several times in the past. But nothing happened. We have no way out but to drink water from the stream,” said villagers such as Rajani Juanga, Parama Juanga, Bhima Juanga and Tanguru Juanga.
Another major problem of the tribal residents is lack of a road to the panchayat headquarters.
Moris Dungdung, an engineer of the RWSS, said a tube well was sunk in the village. “As the area is in hilly terrain, the tube well has gone defunct. There is a proposal for a deep bore well there,” he explained.
PNN
