KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, April 8: Most of the over 10,000 people residing at Dugdha panchayat in Gamharia block of Seraikela-Kharsawan district are compelled to drink ‘toxic’ water due to lack of any alternative source of viable water body.
Comprised of about a dozen villages, Dugdha panchayat has about two dozen ponds, including one government pond, but water available in these water bodies is reportedly not suitable for human consumption. But despite that, most of the villagers use such water for cooking purposes besides taking baths as well as cleaning clothes and other household works.
A few residents who are comparatively financially in a better position can only afford to buy potable water for drinking and cooking purposes.
One of the residents while responding to the queries by The Jharkhand Story said his family have to cough up Rs 100 a day for running the household by purchasing potable water at a rate of Rs 10 a jar that contains 20 litres of drinking water.
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BDO Confirms Crisis After Ground Visit
Block Development Officer (BDO), Gamharia, Abhay Kumar Dwivedi confirmed the acute drinking water problem the Dugdha panchayat is reeling in.
“A fortnight ago I visited the house of Dugdha panchayat, Mohan Baske during the night getting curious about the alleged persisting drinking water problem there. I asked for a glass of water which was served to me immediately, but the water could hardly pass my throat as it seemed toxic and not at all consumable. Then only I decided to do something to make the residents of the panchayat get rid of the sickening problem,” said the BDO while talking to The Jharkhand Story.
BDO’s Proposal for Deep Borewell Faces Obstacles
Dwivedi said the immediate solution for the problem that struck to his mind was to bring about a deep borewell somewhere in the Dugdha panchayat.
“In the following days, I contacted the management of Tata Steel Long Product Company, a Tata Steel subsidiary located near the Dugdha panchayat, for sponsorship of a deep borewell in the panchayat under the company’s CSR program. The company management agreed to do the favour immediately. Then I approached the Drinking Water & Sanitation Department (DW&SD) to obtain permission for the borewell. Now I am waiting for a nod from the department concerned,” said the BDO.
But when contacted, executive engineer, DW&SD, Seraikela, Jesan Horo said permission for the deep borewell cannot be granted.
“Groundwater level in Seraikela has depleted considerably. Permission for deep borewell cannot be granted anymore,” replied Horo while talking to The Jharkhand Story.
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Exploring Alternative Solutions Through Barrage Water Supply
The Gamharia BDO has, however, opined a second alternative for the solution of the water problem in Dugdha.
“We are providing water, including for irrigation purposes to 43 villages from the Ganzia barrage. We may extend the same facility to the villages under Dugdha panchayat also, but it will take considerable time for this to happen,” said Dwivedi, adding that he wanted to find an immediate solution to the drinking water problem of the Dugdha panchayat.
