The drinking water crisis is also reaching its peak amidst the Covid-19 scare in Aurad taluk.
As many as 45 villages under 39 Gram Panchayats have been struggling to collect drinking water every day. The existing water sources have dried up while the officials have not taken measures to ensure the supply from alternative sources. However, Border tanda and Maskal tanda under Jamagi Gram Panchayat have been receiving tanker water. Water is being brought from neighbouring villages at Digli, Koryal, Basanal, Santapur, Gandhinagar and Kishan Nayak tanda. People have been collecting water from private borewells at some other villages.
“We face the water crisis every year with the onset of summer. But neither the elected representatives nor the officials looked into the problem and found a permanent solution so far,” said the residents of Santapura.
Santapura Taluk Horata Samiti president Siddayyaswamy alleged that the officials and elected representatives looted the government funds under the guise of Jal Nirmal Scheme. People never got proper drinking water supply even after spending lakhs of rupees, he added. Shembelli tank breached three years ago but it was not reconstructed or repaired. The people at Shembelli and surrounding villages faced severe drinking water scarcity during summer, residents alleged.
Taluk Panchayat official Shivananda Aurade said, two meetings were held to address the water problem. A list of villages which faced the water problem was prepared. All the panchayat development officers were instructed to ensure adequate drinking water supply in respective villages, he said.
Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Manikrao Patil said, all PDOs were asked to address the water problem on priority. Water is being supplied in takers to the villages which suffered acute water scarcity.
