BARIPADA: Water crisis in rural areas of Mayurbhanj district has deepened in various areas as the mercury soars by the day. The crisis is acute in Wards 1, 5 and 6 of Patpur village of Talapada panchayat under Badasahi block. A population of around 600 inhabiting the Wards struggle for water as the two existing wells are not fit for domestic use. Villagers claimed that the water in the wells is contaminated and emanates foul smell. Consumption of water from the wells has led to diseases like diarrhoea and skin rashes.
Some of them are dependent on a private well for their needs while others trek one kilometre to fetch water from sources in Talapada, said Basanta Singh and Tunaram Singh.
“Though the water level in the private well has dipped, we are using electric pump to collect the water. The money we are paying to hire the pump and buying diesel is an additional burden for us,” said Pratap Chandra Mohanta, another villager.
Villagers alleged that their repeated requests to block development officer for a new tube well and restoration of wells has fallen on deaf ears.
The irate villagers, including women, on Thursday met the block officials with their pitchers to apprise them of their problem and threatened to lock the panchayat office if their problems are not solved at the earliest.
Block Development Officer Rabindra Pradhan said efforts are on to solve the water crisis at the earliest.