People feel pinch of drinking water crisis before onset of summer in Asifabad

While the dwellers of interior villages are forced to trek to find water, people in the plain areas are facing inconvenience due to insufficient supply of water through the Mission Bhagiratha programme

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Dwellers of some remote villages and plains of the district are facing a drinking water crisis much before the onset of summer.

They say winter ends only on the day of Shivaratri festival. However, while the dwellers of interior villages are forced to trek to find water, people in the plain areas are facing inconvenience due to insufficient supply of water through the Mission Bhagiratha programme. This bleak scenario indicates a severe drinking water crisis prevailing in the district even as summer is yet to make its arrival.

For instance, residents of interior Loddiguda village in Jainoor mandal are left with no choice, but to take an arduous trek for 4 kilometres through the forests to quench their thirst by collecting untreated water from a stream. Their plight can be attributed to a dysfunctional solar-power based pump set installed to provide drinking water to this hilly village inhabited by 200 people.

Mesram Radhabai, a tribal woman from the village said they were walking the long distance to gather drinking water from a stream located in the forests as the pump-set developed glitches. She regretted that the problem would be augmented if summer sets in. She requested the officials to address the challenge by digging a bore well.

Similarly, Mason Colony, Bus Stand Area, ST colony and some other parts in Sirpur (T) mandal headquarters are experiencing hardships due to lack of supply of drinking water for the last fortnight. The residents said that they were relying upon bore and open wells, risking their health. They requested officials to take steps to resolve the problem at the earliest.
Officials of Mission Bhagiratha said the solar pump set would be repaired once funds were allocated. They stated that supply of drinking water was stopped to certain areas in Sirpur (T) mandal headquarters as the water was not pumped to overhead tanks due to problems in motors. They added that efforts were on to address the problem.

Meanwhile, residents of Saleguda village in Indervelli mandal are depending on an open well. They were drawing drinking water from the well using an electric motor when water supplied through tankers was not sufficient for their needs. They are transporting drums and large cans of water from the well to their village by bullock carts.