Season of discontent: Water woes focus of poll campaign in parched Purulia

Birchali/Baghmundi: The promise to alleviate water crisis is emerging to be the focal point in campaigns for all parties in Purulia, be it Trinamool or BJP. While the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cited references from The Ramayana to highlight ample availability of water in the mythological times, chief minister Mamata Banerjee charted out past and present government proposals to improve water supply.
Though Purulia has a long history of water scarcity, it has worsened with the growing population.According to geologists, the primary reason is lack of geologically controlled aquifers in the area. Purulia has underlain hard crystalline rocks that constrains water percolation, restricting water table formation. Last year, the Purulia district administration sent a proposal for water projects at the source of 15 irrigation dams. In 2013, the state had tried to start piped drinking water project with the help of JICA (Japan International Co-operation Agency). “It was to be over in two years but there has been a delay from Japan. If the project is finished in a year, 8 lakh people will get water connection by March 2022,” CM Banerjee said at Kashipur in Purulia on Tuesday. At Raghunathpur, she said the state planned two projects—Jal Swapna (tap water at every household) and Mati Srishti, where 25,000 hectares would be irrigated.
Even as the promises flew thick and fast, thousands of villagers in Bandwan, Baghmundi, Jhalda and parts of Purulia town, continued to reel under extreme water crisis. While some trek several kilometres to fetch water, some others, like residents of Birchali village in Baghmundi, have to dig river beds. They have blocked roads multiple times and even threatened to boycott the elections, slated this Saturday, pointing out they have been denied the basic amenity for years. “The two tube wells installed a year ago has broken down and another one yields muddy and smelly water. We have to dig the river bed to get drinking water. Even this water is not safe but it is the best we have,” said Ambika Mudi from Birchali village. Home to 200-odd families, Birchali, at the foot of the Ayodhya Hills, has several brick and concrete houses and almost every household has cattle, indicating moderate prosperity. But when it comes to basic amenities, like road and water, the place lags far behind.
Women here are forced to dig small bore wells with steel spatulas, beside the Bandu river, a Kangsabati tributary. Sitarani Mahato said the water was found 3ft below, where they let it to settle. They then, strain the top layer to fill their buckets.
Local Trinamool leader Nabakishor Mahato said they did install tube wells but the water level was so poor it dried up within days. BJP leader Arun Mahato blamed it on the lack of planning by the Trinamool. Congress MLA Nepal Mahato was unavailable for comments.
Modi brought up the reference of Ayodhya hills last week. “When Sita was thirsty, Rama had sprung a fountain at Ayodhya hills. Today, villagers can’t have water to drink or till the ground,” he said last Thursday.