When the tap was installed, the tank was built, then where did the water go? The story of thirst battling the tower of struggle

Lalganj Rae Bareli. The background of the ground reality of water in every house, Jal Jeevan Nigam, Ek Bando Paani, various themes and projects worth crores of rupees is completely different from the government claims and the shining syrup and moonlight of the offices. The country, absorbed in the nectar of independence, is still facing water shortage due to the helplessness of the system.

Bajpeipur Khatikana, Chamrauli, Sondasi, Puri Shuklan, Baishkha, etc. villages of Gram Panchayat Sondasi of Lalganj development block are still yearning for pure drinking water. Here, with the help of a hand pump for hours, the entire village is creating a story of struggle and struggle to quench the thirst and the concerned department has spent the whole 12 years citing the correspondence and the information received by the villagers. According to this, the water tank built under the Village Group Drinking Water Scheme in 2003 was successful in supplying water only for 10 years from the year of construction and in the meanwhile construction work was done.

Due to laxity, rebar had to be done twice but despite this, the drinking water system could not be made smooth and in today’s situation, the water tank built in Bajpaipur village is full of rust and bushes. It would be ridiculous to supply water. The motor, pipes etc. have been damaged for about 12 years. The material has completely rusted but the concerned department is completely apathetic. Despite complaining several times, the responsible officers of the department are trying to understand the plight of the villagers. They are not able to muster the effort, which can only be said to be the reason for the hypocrisy of the departmental officers. The situation of the above village including Bajpaipur is so complicated that old children and young people are traveling for hours for every drop of water from far away places, only then when it comes to their turn, they are able to get a bucket of water with the help of a hand pump, whereas Abhishek Shukla, resident of Gram Panchayat, through a letter given to the District Magistrate Madam about a year ago, made it known to the District Magistrate that the village There is a huge shortage of pure drinking water in Bajpaipur and the water supply should be made accessible by repairing the rebar of the closed water tank.

But no impact of these complaints has been seen at the ground level yet, whereas on 17/01/2025, through a letter issued by the Office of the Executive Engineer, Jal Nigam Rae Bareli, taking cognizance of the complaint made in IGRS, it was told through the letter issued that the Village Group Drinking Water Scheme has currently completed its 30 years period, due to which Sondasi Drinking Water Scheme was proposed under the Jal Jeevan Mission Scheme in the said village and this work was started in June. It was said that it would be completed by 2025, but the said plan has also not been tabled in the Gram Sabha, due to which the angry villagers have issued a warning to boycott the upcoming Panchayat and Assembly elections.

The important question is that if after so many years of independence, our government system is not able to provide better drinking water system, then why is the country celebrating the golden period of independence when crores of rupees are being spent by the present government to provide water to every house, but the careless officers are hurting the intentions of the government with their impression of weakness.