June 21st 2024.
Keonjhar, a district in India, has been experiencing a relentless heatwave for the past few months. Despite the efforts of the administration to provide relief to the suffering residents, the scorching temperatures show no signs of receding. To help combat the heat, water kiosks were set up in Keonjhar town, providing much-needed drinking water to the community. However, these kiosks have now been running dry for the past 10 days due to a lack of water supply, rendering them ineffective in easing the public's suffering.
One of the kiosks was set up at Keonjhar Daily Market, a bustling hub where villagers and forest dwellers from hilly areas come to sell their products. For many of them, the water kiosk was their only source of drinking water. With it now being unavailable, they are left without a means to quench their thirst. This is also the case for other kiosks set up at important locations such as the district Collector's office, courts, and bus stops. These citizen's facilitation water booths have become useless as they have also been affected by the lack of water supply.
The residents of Keonjhar are demanding an investigation into the sudden stoppage of water supply in the city, especially during a time when the heat is at its peak. Local businessman Sanjay Choudhury expressed his disappointment, stating that while the government has directed the administration to remain vigilant regarding water supply issues, it seems to have failed in doing so. Despite spending lakhs of rupees on setting up these kiosks, they have now become defunct, causing further inconvenience to the public.
In addition to the water kiosks, many water tanks on the premises of the district Collector's office are also lying unused. This is despite the fact that several parts of the town are facing severe water scarcity, exacerbated by the lack of rain this year. As a result, the drinking water supply to different wards has been stopped, causing immense hardship to the people. The situation is particularly dire for those who rely on the city's daily market, with local fruit trader Anil Sonkar highlighting the plight of common people, traders, and those coming from distant tribal villages.
Moreover, the lack of regular water supply has also had an adverse effect on the city's environment. Expensive trees planted for beautification purposes are now browning off or dying due to a lack of water. Environmentalists have expressed their concerns over this, urging authorities to take action. In response, Basant Kumar Sethi, the Executive Officer of Keonjhargarh municipality, has assured that steps are being taken to restore water supply as soon as possible. However, for the residents of Keonjhar, the wait for relief continues.
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