Intense summer heat has severely hit water availability for the villagers of Jharsuguda district. Due to the drastic drop in the water levels, almost all water bodies have dried up and affected water supply to residents.
Villagers of the tribal belt including Junanimunda are the worst-hit lot due to opencast mines of the Mahanadi Coalfields limited (MCl).
Junanimunda is home to 72 families with a population of about 500 villagers who were displaced because of the Hirakund Dam. The villagers have all along been in a state of agitation as the MCl remains apathetic to their concerns in regards to supply of water.
The underground mine no.4 of Orient Area is located in this village. After repeated agitations, the MCl started supplying drinking water to the village by connecting a pipeline to the village through water tanker. But according to the villagers, this supply has been stopped for the last five days by the MCl without any prior intimation to the residents. This supply was the only source of drinking water to the villagers as a tube-well which was set up in the village in 2008 is releasing water which is unfit for drinking.
Unfortunately, the villagers are forced to use the tube-well due to lack of any other alternative.
The district administration has also failed in solving the problems of the villagers despite numerous requests to the RWSS Department.
When contacted, MCl Orient Sub Area Manager GS Jolly said the villagers were informed that the tanker water supply from Ib river has been stopped and would be resumed when the water level would increase in the river. The mines also get their water supply from the river.