Jamshedpur: Residents of several areas of Kitadih are facing an acute watershortage, and are forced to travel about more than a kilometer to fetch drinking water. The water shortage problem is so severe that if temperature soars further several areas might not receive water at all.
According to the information, the water problem is more severe in the areas located at the tail-end of water supply system and on the city outskirts.
The impact of summer has hit early this year. The ground water level at various places has gone down considerably due to the mushrooming high-rises. Moreover due to the rising temperature the water level of two important rivers Swarnarekha and Kharkai has decreased substantially.
Women residents of Kitadih agitated in front of district collectorate, to protest over imminent water crisis due to encroachment of a deep boring facility for a tubewell.
Under the banner of Mahila Jagriti Manch raised slogans against the administration for indifference in preventing encroachment of a deep boring facility by influential youths near the Kitadih for the last three months.
Alpana Bose noted that the deep boring facility was being dug by the drinking water and sanitation department, Jamshedpur division under MLA (Potka MLA Meneka Sardar) fund for the last three months for installation of tube well. However, in the last one month, some influential youths who own shops in the area have encroached on the deep boring structure.
The manch members claimed that the installation of tube well would have prevented water crisis in the area having a population of nearly 30,000.
East Singhbhum DDC Lalmohan Mahto, said that letters have been written to Parsudih police station officer in-charge Dayanand Kumar, circle officer Jamshedpur Prashant Bhusan and drinking water and sanitation department, Jamshedpur executive engineer Suresh Prasad to take immediate step to remove encroachment from the area.
After repeated complains the district administration has taken the step to deal with the ongoing situation. The control room will house all the details and the action plan required,� said a senior officer.
According to the information, the water problem is more severe in the areas located at the tail-end of water supply system and on the city outskirts. In order to end the water woes of the resident the district administration has decided to distribute water through tankers in the areas of Baghbera, Jugsalai, Pursudih and Karandih, which are the worst affected areas.
�It is really an agonising wait for the women for the arrival of water tankers in areas deprived of water supplies through the pipelines. Long queues of women standing fro waters at hand pumps are regular feature,� said Abhay Kant, a resident of Baghbera.