Pipeline in place, locals buy water from tankers
Water crisis in rural areas of Bharatpur has been continuing for a long time now. People in many villages are forced to buy water from tankers.
Residents of Kasoda, a village with around 200 households, said that despite a water pipeline being laid in their village, they paid ₹500-550 for a tanker of water to meet their daily requirements.
They alleged water tapping through illegal connections from the main water pipeline laid in the village by the water resources department. “Around 35 people in the village are illegally tapping water from the main line. We have complained to the concerned officials, but no legal action has been taken in the matter,” said Rajendra Singh, one of the villagers.
As a result, 80% households are deprived of water from the pipeline forcing members of these households, including children, to fetch water from a well, situated a kilometer away.
When questioned over the issue, Uttam Singh, the executive engineer of water resources department, said that they had taken action against the people illegally tapping water from the main line. He said the department does not sanction personal connections in rural areas.
The assistant executive engineer, Kalicharan, said, “We will enquire . Water should be provided to all villagers. Legal action will be taken against the people stealing water.”
Anipur, Shah, Bavain, Kanjoli, Addi, Bhandor, Gundawa are other villages located within 6km distance from the district headquarter and facing water crisis.
In Dhahra village under Nadbai sub-division on the Agra-Jaipur national highway-11, the water resources department had sanctioned a bore well worth ₹48 lakh in 1998, but there is no water supply from the bore well. The villagers accused BJP MLA and tourist minister Krishnendra Kaur Deepa of not paying heed to their problems. They have been demanding a water purifier plant.
Asha Kumari, one of the villagers, said that groundwater available in the village is saline. “Local representatives often promise water supply, but they have not met their promises so far,” she added.