Nandahandi: Today, residents of Dangarbheja Gaudsahi under Nandahandi block surrounded departmental officials in protest over the ongoing drinking water crisis. A heated argument took place between the locals and RWSS officer Prakash Mishra. After several attempts to pacify the villagers, the officials managed to leave the area.
According to the residents, some individuals are using motorized pumps to extract water, leaving others without access to drinking water. The villagers have warned that if the issue is not resolved immediately, they will stage a protest in front of the block office by holding a sit-in demonstration.
Community Leaders Raise Concerns
Prominent locals, including Amit Vikram Dash, Rameshwar Soura, Bhuban Gaud, Harihar Gaud, Tapan Nayak, Deb Bhatar, Subhasini Gaud, Tulasa Gaud, and Debaki Gaud, have expressed their worries. They stated that summer is approaching, and the village, home to over 300 people from 70 families, relies on just four tube wells. Due to a declining water table, residents are forced to wait for hours just to collect a bucket of water.
Fights over water have become common, especially as the ongoing Bali Yatra festival has worsened the situation. The pipeline supply is inconsistent, and when villagers try to fetch water from other areas, they must wait until the locals there have finished using the tube wells.
Repeated complaints to the authorities have gone unheard, leading to today’s protest. In response, JE Shri Mishra assured that the water crisis in the village would be resolved within the next 10-12 days.
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