Water scarcity forces Pakhnachua villagers to consume contaminated water

Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 13 : With summer at its peak and amid the COVID-19 crisis, villagers of Pakhnachua, Dantewada, faced with an acute water crisis are forced to drink contaminated water from the underground water source.
Recently Pakhnachua has become a new gram panchayat, separated from Badegudara Gram Panchayat, about 50 km from Dantewada district headquarters.
Even after formation of the new panchayat, villagers in Pakhnachua say they have to struggle for clean drinking water. The villagers here are dependent on two underground water sources.
"We have two underground water sources here. We come here in the morning and evening to collect water. We have been drinking this water for many years. Nobody has come here to check on us," said a villager.
Villagers say they have been dependent on the underground water source since the beginning hence this village was named Pakhnachua.
Over 800 people reside in this village. Villagers here told that after the formation of the new panchayat, now there is a demand to resolve the drinking water issue.
Joga Ram, another villager said, "We do not have any drinking water facility here. We have been drinking underground water only. Even animals drink from these water sources. Over 50-60 families consume this water."
People come here to get votes, they never return here to check the condition of the village, he added.
When Deepak Soni, Collector, was informed about this issue he immediately called PHE officials and asked for information about this matter. He also called the village sarpanch to take cognizance of the matter.
"We will soon resolve the villagers' problem. We face problems taking drilling machines in the area but drilling work is under process in the village for the borewell," said Soni.