Bhandaghar Gram Panchayat Struggles for Water Amid Scorching Heat
Kakatpur – 14/06: The intense summer heat has severely affected daily life. Despite the construction of a water tank costing over ₹2 crore in Bhandaghar Gram Panchayat for providing safe drinking water, it remains non-functional. Although the tank was completed almost a year ago, it has yet to supply any water.
In this extreme heat, when people are desperately searching for water, the residents of 14 revenue villages—such as Bhandaghar, Malasahi, Rasulpur, and Narangabaji—are facing acute water scarcity. A 2-lakh-litre capacity water tank was built near Bhandaghar to meet their needs. As part of the project, pipelines were laid to households and stand posts were installed. However, due to administrative inefficiency, water supply has not commenced even after many months.
While the administration remains inactive, the common people are struggling for every drop of water. Sources reveal that the contractor has not been paid, and hence the water supply has not been started. Residents complain that the local Junior Engineer is mostly unavailable, making it difficult for them to raise grievances.
People are also questioning whether the contractor will receive payment without ensuring regular water supply, even though there is a five-year maintenance agreement in place. Furthermore, because the tube wells are not always in operation, complaints have arisen about the supply of foul-smelling, iron-contaminated water, which is believed to be causing various diseases in the area.
Due to the non-functional water tank, several of the installed stand posts have been damaged and are now broken. The locals are demanding that the water tank be activated immediately to meet the residents’ needs and to provide clean drinking water. They have also submitted their demands to senior departmental officials and the Puri District Collector.
