Bhadrak: With the onset of summer, concerns are mounting over a possible drinking water crisis in Dhamnagar block of Bhadrak district. Although drinking water supply facilities exist in all 31 panchayats of the block, lack of proper maintenance and an acute shortage of staff are gradually worsening the situation in many areas. The block has around 2,676 tube wells and more than 60 solar-powered water supply projects, but several of them are lying defunct due to poor maintenance. Meanwhile, work is yet to be completed for supplying piped drinking water to all villages under the Basudha Yojana.
As a result, many villagers still depend heavily on tube wells for their daily water needs. The situation has been further aggravated by a severe shortage of staff in the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) department. At present, only five fitters are responsible for maintaining water supply systems across the 31 panchayats. Earlier, the block had 16 fitters and helpers, but 11 of them have retired, leaving only five of them to manage the entire area. As each fitter now has to oversee six to seven panchayats, timely repair of tube wells has become difficult.
Due to the shortage of permanent staff, the department is largely dependent on self-employed mechanics. Another major concern is the rapid decline in groundwater levels, which locals attribute to continuous illegal sand mining from riverbeds, including that of the Baitarani. Although there are 126 tube wells in Dhamnagar, wells in areas such as Dehudi Anandpur Ward No. 7, Manlapur and Uteipur have already dried up. Before 2007, water could be found at a depth of around 30 feet underground, but at present, even digging up to 210 feet often fails to yield water.
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As a result, many residents are being forced to drill private bore wells beyond 250 feet to access groundwater. In addition, high iron content in the water is causing frequent damage to tube well equipment. Continuous use leads to worn-out washers and damaged plungers. In some places, complaints have also surfaced about theft of head covers and damage to handles by miscreants. Another issue is that the tools required for repairing tube wells are kept under the control of sarpanches instead of the department, which often delays access to necessary equipment.
Consequently, many defunct tube wells remain unrepaired for long periods. In view of the emerging crisis, residents have demanded that the government formulate a new policy to address the drinking water problem in the block. They have urged authorities to provide permanent appointments to self-employed mechanics and keep all repair equipment under the direct control of the department to ensure timely maintenance of tube wells.
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