Bhubaneswar: Over 40 percent of households in 15 districts of Odisha lack access to safe drinking water, according to a study, whose findings were revealed Monday.
Undertaken by Atmashakti Trust, Odisha Shramajeebee Mancha and Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha between January and mid-February this year, the study reveals that out of 9,37,152 households in 9,856 villages under 866 gram panchayats of 89 blocks in 15 districts, 3,68,694 (40.55 percent) lack access to safe drinking water.
As per the survey, conducted in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Gajapati, Boudh, Nabarangpur and Deogarh, out of 32,960 tubewells / hand pumps surveyed, 12,481 (40.93 percent) were defunct. Also, of 12,478 stand posts, 6,066 (48.6 percent) have gone kaput.
Nearly 6,675 (56.12 percent) villagers use contaminated water for consumption. While 28.51 percent of villagers use muddy water, 29.55 percent have iron in their drinking water.
Out of 9,37,152 households, over 15,000 are deprived of regular drinking water sources and are fully dependent on streams, ponds, and chuans (excavated subterranean water).
“Despite implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission and Basudha schemes, safe drinking water continues to elude many rural areas of Odisha. The state government should expedite the implementation of its schemes to address water issues faced by the people,” said Ruchi Kashyap, Executive Trustee of Atmashakti Trust.
