Pando tribes people of Bhunda village in Surajpur district’s Odgi block, have to trek more than 4-km every day to fetch drinking water from the Mauri stream.
The tribes people from the village, around 450-km from the state capital Raipur and 110-km from the Surajpur district headquarters, trek downhill twice a day through inhospitable forest terrain to reach the only stream in the region.
Usually men, women and children trek to the hill stream to fetch water for their daily need. The tribes people also use the stream to wash clothes and have their bath.
In May 2019, based on media reports, the public health engineering (PHE) department had dug four tube-wells in village. The hand pumps and the digging machinery had to be transported to the remote village via Sonhat in Koriya district.
The district PHE officials, had then assured the villagers that they will install solar water pumps and a water storage tanks near the tube-wells.
But even after 11 months, the solar pumps have not been installed, villagers said.
Due to geographical barriers the problem still exists, said Bhatgaon legislator Paras Nath Rajwade. Officials of the PHE had said that necessary arrangements to install the pumps have been made.
“Until now arrangement has been made for the supply of drinking water at the village,” he said and added that if no arrangement has not made, he will make efforts to ensure that drinking water is supplied to the village.
Digging for four tube-wells in the village was carried, however the level of water was below 200ft therefore, no hand pumps were installed, said district PHE department executive engineer SB Singh.
“As there is no electricity supply in the village, the department had sent a proposal for installing solar-powered pumps. The proposal was sent in February but has not been sanctioned until now,” Singh said.
Former panchayat sarpanch of Khohir village Tejbali and the present sarpanch Phool Sai Pando said every morning women, accompanied by their minor children leave the village carrying utensils while men take along kawwar or wooden slings to carry water from the stream.
After completing other chores like washing clothes and having their bath, they return to the village, the village headwomen said.
“The stream is also frequented by wild animals that come to drink water, and that is why the villagers always have to travel in groups for safety,” the two village head said.
Even though the villagers do most of their washing and other chores at the stream itself, they still have to carry water for drinking and cooking, said Urmilla Cherva, a villager.
“The PHE department dug four tube-wells for installing hand pumps but until now, there is no drinking water in the village,” they said.
Tube-wells were dug in the remote inaccessible villages in the district last year and solar-powered pumps were installed, said district collector Deepak Soni.
“We will evaluate the situation and take appropriate action,” he said.
(Inputs from Pappu Jaiswal, Chandini Biharpur in Surajpur)