Water crisis hits Odisha’s Jatni as piped supply remains disrupted for four days

At a time when devotees observe the holy Sawan month with rituals and fasting, residents of Jatni town are grappling with a severe water crisis. For the past four days, the piped water supply has come to a complete halt in several parts of the town, leading to widespread hardship.

The 24x7 supply system managed by WATCO has reportedly been non-functional, leaving households without drinking water. Locals have been forced to depend on private sources or travel long distances to fetch water, even for basic needs.

Several residents have alleged repeated disruptions in supply due to WATCO’s poor planning and lack of maintenance. They claimed such breakdowns have become a regular affair and blamed the authorities for failing to provide a permanent solution.

Public resentment is growing, with many demanding immediate intervention from the administration and a long-term resolution to the recurring problem. The absence of water during the religiously significant month has only added to the anger and frustration of the people.

“Not just Jatni, the situation is grim in entire Odisha. Surprisingly, there has been no water supply for the last four days. We are not even getting drinking water. When we visited the PHD office here, there was no one,” alleged a local resident.

Echoing the same, another local said, “Water is essential for everyone. We are completely dependent on piped water. We have been suffering for the last four days.”