After mango kernel deaths, safe drinking water crisis grips Odisha’s Mandipanka village

Days after two women died and six others were rendered critical after consuming mango kernel gruel, severe scarcity of safe drinking water has returned to haunt the villagers in Kandhamal’s Mandipanka village under Daringbadi block.

Despite the government’s initiative to provide water through ‘Basudha Yojana’, the village predominantly housing tribals, has been grappling with acute water shortage even during winter. Villagers here have to depend on a stream for drinking water purposes as tubewells in the village are releasing contaminated water and others lying defunct.

Meanwhile, the drinking water testing report of the village was found to have fecal contamination.  This report comes at a time when the government is under fire for a delay in the supply of PDS rice that is alleged to have forced the people to consume the mango kernel gruel.

As per reports, the water samples collected were found positive for the hydrogen sulphide (H2S) test. Residents, particularly women and children have to bear the brunt of this crisis, leading to various health issues. 

“The water under Basudha Yojana comes just for 5 minutes and not more than that. One cannot even fill a pot within five minutes. Moreover, the water is not drinking worthy. We use it only for washing utensils. People suffer from skin rashes if they use the water to take a bath,” alleged a local Jhunu Uthansingh.

Likewise, another local Bernajita Baliarsingh alleged, “We have to use the stream water for drinking and bathing purposes as it is clean as compared to the water provided under Basudha Yojana.”

“With no proper water from Basudha Yojana, we are forced to drink the stream water. But, no official has ever visited our village or tried to purify our drinking water. Forget the purification process, they have not even provided bleaching powder to us,” alleged another local Antuni Nayak.

No comments could be obtained from officials concerned in this regard.