Telkoi: Drinking water crisis has deepened in several parts of tribal-dominated Telkoi block in Mayurbhanj district. Locals have threatened to go on an agitation if the administration fails to provide safe drinking water in the area at the earliest.
Over a thousand tribals of Jaypur Sahi, Behera Sahi and Munda Sahi have no other option but to depend on a pond in Bhimkund panchayat, but it is highly unsafe as the water is highly contaminated.
Reports said about 10 tube wells in the panchayat are lying defunct, forcing people to drink water from polluted ponds.
Sarpanch Kalpana Nayak said she had several times drawn the attention of the BDO and the collector toward the drinking water problem, but to no avail.
The PHED had made provision of piped drinking water in the panchayat in 2009-10 at a cost of Rs 20 lakh, but the project did not serve the village for very long. Locals alleged underground pipes and water stand posts got damaged due to faulty construction work.
The sarpanch said people are becoming increasingly worried over the drinking water problem. “I had taken up the matter with the BDO and the authorities of PHED several times, but the problem was not sorted out. We have told them about our intended agitation,” she added.
The sarpanch also said that the block administration has not allocated funds for tube wells and Swajaldhara Yojana.
BDO Akshaya Kumar Mallick said funds have been allocated to all panchayats for drinking water supply. The defunct tube wells and Swajaladhara projects will be repaired on war footing, he said.
PNN
