Jal Jeevan Mission flops in fluorosis affected areas, villagers stage strong demonstration

Rajesh Tiwari (Bureau Report)

Sonbhad/Uttar Pradesh-

The Harra Kadra Village Group Drinking Water Scheme, started under the Jal Jeevan Mission under the newly created development block of the district, is proving to be a curse for the villagers of the area. Angered by the non-availability of pure drinking water even in the areas affected by fluorosis, the villagers staged a strong demonstration. The villagers allege that the executing agency Vishnu Prakash R Punglia Ltd. Due to the arbitrariness and indifference of the government, government funds have been openly misappropriated, a living example of which is that even today people are forced to drink fluoridated or contaminated water from rivers and streams.

According to the information given by the villagers and the local situation, the government’s ambitious Har Ghar Nal Yojana is proving to be a complete failure on the ground. In many Gram Panchayats, the work of tap connection has not been completed, but in some factories of the concerned institution, it has been shown as complete on paper. After repeated protests by the villagers, to hide the truth, the organization hastily started the work of covering pipes on the roadside and repairing tap connections, but that too failed.

Let us tell you that at many places the depth of DI pipeline, HDP, MDPE pipeline is not as per the standard, but it is also natural to raise questions on the quality of the pipes. Due to which the pipeline gets destroyed every day due to light rain or other reasons. Rather, this work is a subject of high level investigation by the concerned institution. the villagers

It is alleged that despite the GA drawing being prepared before the construction of the project, why is the flow of the river changing again and again. Connections were given on the basis of Aadhar card, but for many years not a drop of water is coming from the taps. Selected employees of the organization are accused of misleading the concerned department and the general public, and fulfilling the paper quorum by filling in the name of connections and repairs.

This scheme has become a curse in fluorosis affected areas like Kachnarva and Kudwa. According to the villagers, till date the organization has not been able to supply water to Tola Asanabandh Link Road Ward No. 3 of Kachnarwa for years. The villagers also complained on the CM helpline, but the concerned department filed the inquiry report without completing the work, due to which questions are being raised on the role of the departmental officers.

Local people said that even today people of Sidhwadamar, Kudwa and other places are forced to drink water from rivers, streams and Chuand. Attacking the organization, social activist Ganga Prasad Yadav said that due to drinking contaminated water from the river drain, young people are starting to look old, children’s teeth are turning yellow, and people are dying due to fluorosis. Asanabandh Ward-3, Badap, Madhuri, Naroiyadam, Rohinvadamar, Bagesoti, Singa, Dubwa, Dhaurvadamar, of Kachnarva Gram Panchayat.

Water supply has been stalled for years in about 32 villages including Semravadamar, Gobardaha, Dealwaha, Shivakhadi, Dhichorwa, Bichmarwa, Kewal, Piparkhad, Bhalukudar, Gidhiya, Kishunpurwa, Lalkidamar, Karail, Rorwa, Kharondhi, Chanchikala, Nakatwar, Bahuara. Let us tell you that Badap village adjacent to the tank is deprived of connection till date.

As a result, a strong demonstration was held in Kudwa on Sunday under the leadership of social worker Ganga Prasad Yadav. The protesters raised slogans against the Jal Nigam and the executing agency, demanding regular water supply. Social workers Ganga Yadav, Jairam, Kalavati Devi alleged that there is no water supply in the area for almost two years. People are forced to drink river drain water and are even losing their lives due to fluorosis. But the voice of the poor is not reaching the corrupt officials of those institutions and to pat themselves on the back, the concerned organization has made false certificates from most of the village heads and Panchayat water committees and sent them to the government level and diverted government money. Monkey was distributed.

The villagers have drawn the attention of the Chief Minister and District Magistrate of the state and demanded to ensure supply of pure drinking water and to take strict action by immediately blacklisting the corrupt executive body so that the image of the government is not tarnished.

In this regard, AE Mamoor Ali (Jal Nigam) said that the problem has arisen due to damage to the main pipe on Windhamganj main road, which will be repaired soon in collaboration with PWD. Only after that people will start getting regular water. Now it remains to be seen whether this ambitious project of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, which was started with great speed in the public interest, will be able to deliver water to the villagers or will it remain limited to papers only due to the corruption of the concerned officials and the executing agency.