Barwani (Madhya Pradesh): Female hostel inmates from Eklavya Model Residential Hostel in Barwani are facing an acute shortage of water these days. This is despite the fact that the state government is making efforts to provide clean and safe drinking water to every village through its ambitious ìNal Jal Yojanaî.
Itís 8.30 pm on Wednesday and many of the hostel inmates are roaming outside the hostel in search of water. They say that the girls here begin and end their day by carrying empty buckets and bottles to collect water from nearby water resources to meet their basic requirements.
Many girl students on the condition of anonymity say itís not new for them to fetch water from other places, especially during summertime as groundwater gets depleted. This year there is a problem with the borewell pump as well, thereby increasing their woes manifold.
Girls said they are facing ëhealth problems' since they are unable to take a regular bath. Some among them could take bath only once a week, leading to bouts of itching, due to water shortage in the hostel.
The hostel is currently accommodating about 100 to 120 girl students.
An attempt to contact the hostel superintendent failed as she moved away from the spot when approached.
Meanwhile, sub-divisional magistrate Ghanshyam Dhangar admitted there is a problem with the borewell pump and he has been appraised of the matter and said that the problem will be redressed within the next few days.
However, the question is that if the borewell pump is lying defunct, then is it not the duty of the hostel superintendent to make alternative arrangements or get water through a tanker. Allowing the girls to move outside a hostel in search of water not only violates the norms, but such a situation could compromise their security as well.
