Attabira: One diarrhoea death Thursday, shifting of two children to VIMSAR, Burla, and several others under treatment at Palibugbuga village under this police limits in Bargarh district acted as a wakeup call for the administration to the acute drinking water problem.
However, RWSS junior engineer Saiman Toppo said that a drinking water project at a cost of Rs 25 lakh would be taken up in the village in the coming days.
The villagers of Bugbuga, Gambhatikra and Palibugbuga used to get their daily quota of drinking water from a small river Jhainjor on the outskirts of Palibugbuga village. Initially, water was supplied to the three villages after commissioning the project years ago. But for one reason or the other, a few months later, Bugbuga and Gambhatikra did not get their share of drinking water.
Palibugbuga village, which has since been getting its quota from the project, comprises two wards with a population of over 1,500. While there are four stand posts and three tube wells to meet the villagers’ daily requirement, water from Jhainjor is being dispensed by these stand posts. It is alleged that they are responsible for the diarrhoea outbreak.
Villagers alleged that they are getting dirty and muddy water from the public taps. “The tank at Jhainjor is lying uncovered and the pipes at places are damaged, leading to supply of dirty water that is causing diarrhoea, observed Jasobant Seth, a villager.
Other villagers Kunja Bihari Behera, Dolamani Seth, Mahendra Behera, Hrushikesh Rana and Lalit Rana too complained that getting untreated water with insects has become a norm. They said though the problem was brought to the notice of the concerned authority several times, none had paid any attention.
ADM Judhisthira Nayak visited the village and took stock of the situations. After hearing the allegations, he directed RWSS officials to take immediate steps to fix the problems. PNN