Gadchiroli Aug. 18 (District Correspondent) The residents from as many as 10 villages under three Gram Panchayats in Chamorshi taluka have been facing acute drinking water problem as the water supply scheme of Kunghada village has been closed down owing to shortage of funds. The villagers are forced to roam around for the drinking water even during the rainy days.
The elected representatives and villagers of Kunghada held a press conference at the Press Club here on Thursday afternoon and demanded early restoration of the water supply to all these villages. The villagers have now decided to stage Rasta Roko agitation on Aug. 28 next on the Kunghada turning on Gadchiroli -Chamorshi national highway to press the demand.
Addressing the press conference Mr. Avinash Chalakh, former Sarpanch from Kunghada told that the water supply scheme was started at village Kunghada around 25 years back from where drinking water was being supplied to 10 villages in the area -Kunghada, Irai, Gowardhan, Umred, Tambashi, Bajarpeth, Talodhi, Rampur Toli, Nawegaon and Subhash Nagar. However, water supply has been abruptly closed down since July 11 last and the villagers have been facing acute drinking water problem. They are fulfilling their water needs from the available water sources like wells, bore wells etc but this water is not consumable, told Chalakh.
The village panchayat office bearers met the concerned officers repeatedly with the request of restoring the water supply immediately but no any action has so far been taken and the water supply has remained closed, he told further.
Presently the agricultural works are going on in full swing but the villagers have to spend their time for the drinking water due to which routine farm works are affected which has created a huge amount of discontent among the villagers, Chalakh told.
When we met the officers in this regard, they expressed their inability to restore the water supply because of the shortage of funds to run the scheme, he also told. Restoration of water supply is very urgent issue and the administration should pay immediate attention towards it, he underlined.
Village Sarpancha Dhodre said it is very unfortunate that the women have to struggle for the drinking water leaving their farm and household works and demanded immediate restoration of water supply.
Also present at the press conference were Ms. Alka Dhodre, Sarpancha, Anil kunghadkar, Dy. Sarpancha, Dilip dudhe, Sandeep Katwe, Umesh Kodap, Dipali bodalkar, Jayshree dhodre, all members of the village panchayat, Yamaji kosanshile, Atul Bhandekar, Vanita Wairagade and many other villagers.
Photo Mr. Avinash chalakh, Alka dhodre and others seen at the press conference.
