Water crisis continues in villages along R’sthan border

Deepender Deswal

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Tribune News Service

Hisar, August 9

The water woes of Budak village and five other villages along the Rajasthan border are far from over as the district administration and BJP leaders have failed to fulfill their promises, made to villagers during their three-month-long agitation last year.

A delegation of villagers, which met BJP leader Subhash Goenka here recently, alleged that the state party president Subhash Barala had assured them to resolving the water problem by May.

The villagers, under the banner of the Jal Sangharsh Samiti, remained on a dharna at the Mini-Secretariat here for 84 days last year. The dharna was lifted on December 18 after Barala’s assurance.

Samiti president Virender Punia, who led the delegation, alleged that the water crisis had deteriorated in the past few months.

“The Balsamand branch, which supplies water to waterworks in the village, is unable to provide adequate supply. The villagers are dependent on water tankers. A tanker costs Rs 700 to Rs 800,” he said.

Village sarpanch Premwati said the administration had launched a project to install RO system in the village.

“The panchayat has given land to the administration to install the RO system. The work is likely to start in a day or two. The administration has decided to dug tube wells too. Water drawn from the tube wells will be treated with the help of the RO system,” she said.

Other villages facing water crisis are Dobhi, Kharia, Bandeheri, Sundawas and Bagla, located at the tail-end of the canal branch.

Budak villagers had boycotted the Assembly elections last year in protest against the official apathy towards their demands.