National
Over 400 water projects incomplete or obsolete in Jajarkot district
More than 400 drinking water projects in Jajarkot district remain incomplete or out of operation, some for nearly a decade.More than 400 drinking water projects in Jajarkot district remain incomplete or out of operation, some for nearly a decade.
This is largely due to the authorities’ failure to monitor them and the consumers’ committees disregarding the repair works.
Today several parts of the district, including Khalanga Bazaar, Jagatipur, Punma, Bhur, Seema, Juga Thapachaur, Thalaraikar, Paink, Khagenkot, Dhime, Pajaru, Majkot, Suwanauli, Dasera, Nayakbada and Sakla, are reeling under drinking water shortage.
In Jiri village of Barekot Rural Municipality, nearly 300 families are dependent on wells and streams for drinking water. They face water shortage during dry season.
Similar is the case for 600-odd households in Jintala and Khurpa villages Barekot Rural Municipality and the 800 families that live in Kudu village in Bheri Municipality.
According to the conservative estimates of the District Drinking Water Sub-division Office, there are 10,000 households in Jajarkot who do not have access to drinking water.
Outbreak of water-borne diseases like diarrhoea and cholera are high among these households, as they drink contaminated water.
The local government bodies constructed 300 small drinking water projects in the district last fiscal year. These projects benefited around 13,000 families. But there are still thousands of families in the district who find themselves water insecure.
Maheshi Mahato, the chief of the District Drinking Water Sub-Division Office, said repair and maintenance of old water supply projects and construction of new ones were not making desire progress due to lack of budget. (RSS)