Jharkhand: Villagers forced to collect water from pits

Potka (Jharkhand) [India], December 4 (ANI): There seems to be no end to the water crisis in Idaldih village under Potka block in Jharkhand and it is only becoming worse with every passing day.
All the borewells and three ‘jal minars’ (overhead tanks or water towers) installed in the Idaldih village years ago have already become defunct and dry, and the villagers are now bound to collect water from open pits for cooking and drinking purposes.
Situated about 50 km away from Jamshedpur district headquarter, the Idaldih village in Potka block has 45 houses and all the villagers including women, children and people with physical disabilities are facing an acute shortage of drinking water for the past many months.
The villagers pointed out the three water towers which remain defunct for the last two years.
“We have been raising the issue with local authorities and public representatives, but there is no respite,” the villagers complained.
They said that it will become very difficult for them to survive if government officials concerned continue to turn a blind eye towards the acute water crisis problem.
Speaking to ANI, Saraswati Hansda, one of the villagers, complained, there has been no supply of water from the overhead tanks in the last two years.
“We have to collect water from open pits at farms, filter it and then use it for cooking and drinking,” she rued.
Another villager, Mato Baske – who is visually impaired, said, “I cannot see, and have to walk through the bund of the farm with the help of other villagers to collect water.” “I have no idea as to when this would end,” he complained.

Gram Pradhan, Biswanath Baske, also admitted to the water scarcity issue and passed the blame to the authorities.
“We have complained about the water crisis, but nothing has been done so far to solve our problem. Politicians come only during elections and give fake assurances, but no one cares really care about our problems.”
Potka’s Block Development Officer Nikhil Kashyap said that the matter has been brought to their notice, and instructions have been issued to repair the water towers.
“A survey is being conducted to check for the condition of water towers. They will be repaired on priority and water supply will be resumed soon,” he said. (ANI)