Through IANS
KANDHAMAL/RAYAGADA (Odisha): ‘Come to be told, pass to serve’ reads the entrance wall of Bikapanga Higher Number one College in Tumudibandha block of Kandhamal district. Handiest 32 kids find out about right here from Elegance 1 to eight, but the ones few are pressured to ‘serve’ themselves as amenities are laborious to return by way of.
The varsity does no longer have get admission to to secure consuming water, and the girls and boys need to fetch water from the closest canal in the event that they wish to use the bathroom. “Now we have no longer observed any development in amenities, despite the fact that the college used to be established in 1977. Even a tube smartly isn’t provide,” lamented Arjuna Majhi, the dad or mum of a pupil.
Water shortage is a commonplace thread operating during the tribal villages of Kandhamal. To relieve struggling, the Odisha govt had promised faucet water connections underneath the centrally subsidized Jal Jeevan Challenge (JJM) to all colleges and anganwadi centres by way of 2022. Alternatively, that promise is but to be fulfilled.
Manoj Kumar Samantaray, a Bhubaneswar-based researcher on water, sanitation and hygiene, used to be unsurprised by way of the gradual tempo of the JJM. “Offering secure consuming water to tribal villages during the JJM is a fancy process. There are a number of demanding situations at the manner, together with geographical limitations, loss of infrastructure, restricted consciousness, cultural limitations and investment constraints. Handiest by way of figuring out and addressing the precise demanding situations confronted by way of each and every group can the scheme grow to be a success,” he mentioned.
When requested in regards to the infrastructure hole, Kandhamal District Training Officer Pramod Kumar Sadangi informed 101Reporters that each one efforts had been being made to make sure water provide to varsities. “Anyplace required, speedy motion might be taken to fix and rebuild water infrastructure. Colleges were closed from April 21 onwards to make sure the security and well being of scholars as day temperatures have soared to 38-41 stage Celsius,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, Arjuna, who may be the president of Bikapanga college control committee, mentioned the issue used to be no longer limited to water availability. “Scholars from Elegance 1 to eight are post in the similar position as best 3 school rooms are provide within the college. Of them, two are in a dilapidated situation. Regardless of coming near the government a number of occasions, no motion has been taken.”
A pailful of criticism
Sumitra Majhi (36) has been trekking 2.5 km to fetch water for such a lot of summers now that it’s tricky to stay a depend. “Water is a privilege. We girls have to stroll lengthy distances even for a pail of water,” mentioned Sumitra, a resident of Sapari in Tumudibandha block.
The hilly and forested Sapari tribal hamlet is house to 165 other folks in 38 families, but it surely by no means had get admission to to secure consuming water. The 2 tube wells within the neighborhood are defunct. “Tube wells stopped operating in 2019. Our repeated requests to mend them had been merely left out. The government must prioritise this topic as get admission to to secure consuming water is a basic proper,” mentioned Swarnalata Mallick, the sarpanch of Kurtamgarh gram panchayat underneath which Sapari falls.
Alternatively, Kedendi Majhi, a ward member from Sapari, blamed the sarpanch. “There is not any reaction to our requests to fix the defunct tube wells. What lets do?” he asks. In reaction, Although Mallick mentioned the issue can be addressed on the earliest, she didn’t supply any details about the development of restore paintings.
“Each and every summer season, we are hoping towards hope that this battle won’t repeat. We need to battle for each drop of water,” rued Digamandala Majhi of Gunsupa. The villagers, most commonly from the In particular Prone Tribal Staff of Kutia Kondh, are pressured to stroll as much as a km to fetch water from a puddle.
“The villagers boil the tainted water, however there’s at all times a well being chance,” mentioned Dibakar Sabar, an activist from Jana Jagarana Mancha.
Uninterested with the yearly battle, girls and teen women in masses had accumulated for a rally at Tumudibandha and Kotagarh block headquarters on March 22, in search of secure consuming water and higher anganwadi amenities.
In the meantime, Ajit Kumar Behera, Govt Engineer, Rural Water Provide and Sanitation, Kandhamal, informed 101Reporters that sarpanches were informed to spot places the place hand pumps wanted restore or new tube wells must be dug. “This may assist us allocate sources successfully and successfully as two mega water initiatives serving greater than 100 villages each and every are at the anvil. We’re these days finalising tenders for single-village initiatives and shortly paintings will start on them,” he knowledgeable.
Interpreting information
A up to date find out about by way of Atmashakti Consider and its allies at the standing of secure consuming water in 9,856 villages in 15 districts of Odisha paints a horrifying image. As many as 9,37,152 families and 32,960 tube wells had been incorporated within the survey, which discovered that 4 out of each 10 homes lacked get admission to to secure consuming water. 4 out of each 10 tube wells and nearly part of the hand pumps surveyed had been defunct. Relating to proportion, 40.55 according to cent families had no secure consuming water get admission to, while 40.93 according to cent tube wells and 48.6 according to cent hand pumps had been defunct.
Consistent with the federal government information, best 45 according to cent of rural families in Odisha have piped water get admission to. “The federal government claims water sufficiency, whilst villagers proceed to battle,” mentioned Rayagada-based Debendra Suna, every other activist from Jana Jagarana Manch.
In Baladia village of Rayagada, over 80 families make do with one tube smartly and sun hand pump. The tube smartly can’t raise water from the rocky soil, regardless of digging to a intensity of 60 to 80 toes. “Animals drink water from the canal, however it’s our best supply of water. It’s not worthy for intake, however we haven’t any selection. Right through rains, we get unwell from consuming this muddy water,” mentioned Satya Praska (28), a ward member from Baladia.
Issues are worse in Nunduruguda, the place villagers rely on chuan (puddle-like floor water supply) to fulfill their water wishes. “That is the one water supply at our disposal. When one chuan dries up, we dig every other close to a canal or riverbed. When all assets dry up in summer season, we need to stroll to the neighbouring villages,” says Jayanta Urlaka (32). They retailer water in massive clay pots in summers, however it’ll final just for 10 to fifteen days.
“Gruelling summer season will best intensify the disaster in water-starved villages except the federal government takes swift motion,” warned Laxmidhar Singh, a member of the Indigenous Peoples Discussion board.
Helpline of no assist
A devoted helpline quantity 1916 is administered as part of the Buxi Jagabandhu Confident Water Provide to Habitations (BASUDHA) scheme, mentioned Hadibandhu Behera, a former leader engineer with the RWSS. “Cellular trucks to fix defunct water infrastructure also are provide.”
Alternatively, individuals are in large part ignorant of it. “I’m listening to about this helpline for the primary time. If the federal government had knowledgeable us, we might have undoubtedly made use of this facility,” mentioned Digamandal Majhi, a resident of Deredi in Kandhamal. On the identical time, Santanu Patra, who works with Jeevika Suraksha Mancha, reminded that there are a number of far off tribal villages with out cell community protection.
The state govt is essentially specializing in the BASUDHA scheme, and has built new water provide techniques, repaired current ones, and arrange water remedy vegetation in several portions of the state.
Beneath the JJM, the federal government goals to supply faucet water connections to each rural family by way of 2024. For this, the Panchayati Raj and Ingesting Water Division have proposed the cheap allocation of Rs 5,750 crore underneath the JJM, Rs 4,002 crore underneath the BASUDHA scheme, and Rs 1,000 crore underneath the Rural Infrastructure Building Fund for the impending monetary 12 months.
KANDHAMAL/RAYAGADA (Odisha): ‘Come to be told, pass to serve’ reads the entrance wall of Bikapanga Higher Number one College in Tumudibandha block of Kandhamal district. Handiest 32 kids find out about right here from Elegance 1 to eight, but the ones few are pressured to ‘serve’ themselves as amenities are laborious to return by way of.
The varsity does no longer have get admission to to secure consuming water, and the girls and boys need to fetch water from the closest canal in the event that they wish to use the bathroom. “Now we have no longer observed any development in amenities, despite the fact that the college used to be established in 1977. Even a tube smartly isn’t provide,” lamented Arjuna Majhi, the dad or mum of a pupil.
Water shortage is a commonplace thread operating during the tribal villages of Kandhamal. To relieve struggling, the Odisha govt had promised faucet water connections underneath the centrally subsidized Jal Jeevan Challenge (JJM) to all colleges and anganwadi centres by way of 2022. Alternatively, that promise is but to be fulfilled.googletag.cmd.push(serve as() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );
Manoj Kumar Samantaray, a Bhubaneswar-based researcher on water, sanitation and hygiene, used to be unsurprised by way of the gradual tempo of the JJM. “Offering secure consuming water to tribal villages during the JJM is a fancy process. There are a number of demanding situations at the manner, together with geographical limitations, loss of infrastructure, restricted consciousness, cultural limitations and investment constraints. Handiest by way of figuring out and addressing the precise demanding situations confronted by way of each and every group can the scheme grow to be a success,” he mentioned.
When requested in regards to the infrastructure hole, Kandhamal District Training Officer Pramod Kumar Sadangi informed 101Reporters that each one efforts had been being made to make sure water provide to varsities. “Anyplace required, speedy motion might be taken to fix and rebuild water infrastructure. Colleges were closed from April 21 onwards to make sure the security and well being of scholars as day temperatures have soared to 38-41 stage Celsius,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, Arjuna, who may be the president of Bikapanga college control committee, mentioned the issue used to be no longer limited to water availability. “Scholars from Elegance 1 to eight are post in the similar position as best 3 school rooms are provide within the college. Of them, two are in a dilapidated situation. Regardless of coming near the government a number of occasions, no motion has been taken.”
A pailful of criticism
Sumitra Majhi (36) has been trekking 2.5 km to fetch water for such a lot of summers now that it’s tricky to stay a depend. “Water is a privilege. We girls have to stroll lengthy distances even for a pail of water,” mentioned Sumitra, a resident of Sapari in Tumudibandha block.
The hilly and forested Sapari tribal hamlet is house to 165 other folks in 38 families, but it surely by no means had get admission to to secure consuming water. The 2 tube wells within the neighborhood are defunct. “Tube wells stopped operating in 2019. Our repeated requests to mend them had been merely left out. The government must prioritise this topic as get admission to to secure consuming water is a basic proper,” mentioned Swarnalata Mallick, the sarpanch of Kurtamgarh gram panchayat underneath which Sapari falls.
Alternatively, Kedendi Majhi, a ward member from Sapari, blamed the sarpanch. “There is not any reaction to our requests to fix the defunct tube wells. What lets do?” he asks. In reaction, Although Mallick mentioned the issue can be addressed on the earliest, she didn’t supply any details about the development of restore paintings.
“Each and every summer season, we are hoping towards hope that this battle won’t repeat. We need to battle for each drop of water,” rued Digamandala Majhi of Gunsupa. The villagers, most commonly from the In particular Prone Tribal Staff of Kutia Kondh, are pressured to stroll as much as a km to fetch water from a puddle.
“The villagers boil the tainted water, however there’s at all times a well being chance,” mentioned Dibakar Sabar, an activist from Jana Jagarana Mancha.
Uninterested with the yearly battle, girls and teen women in masses had accumulated for a rally at Tumudibandha and Kotagarh block headquarters on March 22, in search of secure consuming water and higher anganwadi amenities.
In the meantime, Ajit Kumar Behera, Govt Engineer, Rural Water Provide and Sanitation, Kandhamal, informed 101Reporters that sarpanches were informed to spot places the place hand pumps wanted restore or new tube wells must be dug. “This may assist us allocate sources successfully and successfully as two mega water initiatives serving greater than 100 villages each and every are at the anvil. We’re these days finalising tenders for single-village initiatives and shortly paintings will start on them,” he knowledgeable.
Interpreting information
A up to date find out about by way of Atmashakti Consider and its allies at the standing of secure consuming water in 9,856 villages in 15 districts of Odisha paints a horrifying image. As many as 9,37,152 families and 32,960 tube wells had been incorporated within the survey, which discovered that 4 out of each 10 homes lacked get admission to to secure consuming water. 4 out of each 10 tube wells and nearly part of the hand pumps surveyed had been defunct. Relating to proportion, 40.55 according to cent families had no secure consuming water get admission to, while 40.93 according to cent tube wells and 48.6 according to cent hand pumps had been defunct.
Consistent with the federal government information, best 45 according to cent of rural families in Odisha have piped water get admission to. “The federal government claims water sufficiency, whilst villagers proceed to battle,” mentioned Rayagada-based Debendra Suna, every other activist from Jana Jagarana Manch.
In Baladia village of Rayagada, over 80 families make do with one tube smartly and sun hand pump. The tube smartly can’t raise water from the rocky soil, regardless of digging to a intensity of 60 to 80 toes. “Animals drink water from the canal, however it’s our best supply of water. It’s not worthy for intake, however we haven’t any selection. Right through rains, we get unwell from consuming this muddy water,” mentioned Satya Praska (28), a ward member from Baladia.
Issues are worse in Nunduruguda, the place villagers rely on chuan (puddle-like floor water supply) to fulfill their water wishes. “That is the one water supply at our disposal. When one chuan dries up, we dig every other close to a canal or riverbed. When all assets dry up in summer season, we need to stroll to the neighbouring villages,” says Jayanta Urlaka (32). They retailer water in massive clay pots in summers, however it’ll final just for 10 to fifteen days.
“Gruelling summer season will best intensify the disaster in water-starved villages except the federal government takes swift motion,” warned Laxmidhar Singh, a member of the Indigenous Peoples Discussion board.
Helpline of no assist
A devoted helpline quantity 1916 is administered as part of the Buxi Jagabandhu Confident Water Provide to Habitations (BASUDHA) scheme, mentioned Hadibandhu Behera, a former leader engineer with the RWSS. “Cellular trucks to fix defunct water infrastructure also are provide.”
Alternatively, individuals are in large part ignorant of it. “I’m listening to about this helpline for the primary time. If the federal government had knowledgeable us, we might have undoubtedly made use of this facility,” mentioned Digamandal Majhi, a resident of Deredi in Kandhamal. On the identical time, Santanu Patra, who works with Jeevika Suraksha Mancha, reminded that there are a number of far off tribal villages with out cell community protection.
The state govt is essentially specializing in the BASUDHA scheme, and has built new water provide techniques, repaired current ones, and arrange water remedy vegetation in several portions of the state.
Beneath the JJM, the federal government goals to supply faucet water connections to each rural family by way of 2024. For this, the Panchayati Raj and Ingesting Water Division have proposed the cheap allocation of Rs 5,750 crore underneath the JJM, Rs 4,002 crore underneath the BASUDHA scheme, and Rs 1,000 crore underneath the Rural Infrastructure Building Fund for the impending monetary 12 months.
