Keonjhar: As electricity is unavailable in hilly, forested and remote pockets of Keonjhar district, the government has made the provision of solar-powered pumping systems to ensure safe drinking water in its various parts.
Sadly, most of these systems are lying defunct for lack of repair and routine maintenance. Distressed by want of drinking water, people meet their water needs from rivers and streams in many cases.
It was alleged that the company which installed the solar system is not setting things right despite signing an agreement with the government for its maintenance for five years.
Over 150 solar-powered pump sets are defunct in Anandapur sub-division, leaving people to face drinking water crisis. In such cases, people feed on water from rivers, rivulets and streams in their localities.
A case in point is Purunajoda panchayat under Telkoi block where 40 families depend on river water since the day their solar energy-based drinking water project became defunct.
Hundreds of people living in Ramchandrapur and Tigiria villages under Kaliahata panchayat have been suffering a lot for the same reason.
The villagers pleaded for quick repair of these drinking water projects which are being executed by Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) department.
People in the tribal pockets lamented that they are being deprived of basic drinking water. Locals observed that drinking unhygienic water is causing sickness and diseases.
They pointed out that lakhs of rupees are spent on drinking water projects, but the department has failed to discharge its responsibility to maintain these in hilly and remote areas.
They added that the company is bound by an agreement with the RWSS department to repair these projects wherever necessary till five years after their installation, but nothing is being done.
Though affected villagers apprised the RWSS authorities about their miseries due to shortage of water, no steps have been taken to set these projects right.
Locals have been demanding immediate repair of solar-powered drinking water projects to alleviate their sufferings.
PNN
