Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SHS)
Kundapur, May 26: Despite repeated assurances by the Hombady Mandady gram panchayat to redress the problem of acute water shortage faced by the villagers of Guddenangady in Yadady Matyadi village, the residents now say that the problem still prevails in the area.
Daijiworld had earlier published a detailed report on the drought-like condition of the village and had brought the issue to notice of Mandady gram panchayat. Following this, Santosh Kumar village development officer said work on rigging of borewell was under way. He had assured that the problem would be sorted out once the work was over.
District incharge minister Vinay Kumar Sorake too had convened a meeting at taluk panchayat officials recently and directed them to resolve the water crisis.
However, even though the borewell work is over, the water has still not reached the residents.
The locals contend that even though the borewell is ready, the panchayat is not supplying the water. This is because the borewell has been connected to the same old pipelines which are in a state of disarray. The pipelines were laid three years ago, but they were improperly placed. As there was scarcity of water anyway, the officials did nothing to repair the pipelines either.
Now, alongside the work on the borewell, the roads have been dug up too to set right the pipelines, and the officials say it would take at least another fortnight to complete the work.
"We have not received water from the panchayat," says Rama Babi, "We have no choice but to search for other water sources to fulfill our needs. We have been forced to go to neighboring homes to draw water from their wells. The panchayat a few days back provided us water in a tanker. But now tankers also have stopped operating."
"We are hardly able to fill eight buckets of water, even though we stand in queue from morning. The water of the borewell is not potable, but we have no choice but to use it," said Sadhu, Yashodha and Bharati.
According to Vanaja Kulalti the wells dug under employment guarantee programme dried up, thus failing to cater to the growing demands of water. "We are now compelled to pay Rr 350 to purchase 1000 liters of water. The administration has not chalked out any plans to permanently resolve the water problem during summer," she says.