Puri: Even after five years, the Mega Water Project in Bhandarikuda village under Rayabidhar panchayat of Brahmagiri block in Puri district, is incomplete. The project, once functional, would cater to the drinking water needs of 59 villages.
Being a coastal area, Bhandarikuda and nearby villages do not get pure drinking water. Even in case of bore well, the high salt content in the water makes it unusable. Many a time people have been affected with various diseases after consuming water from the ponds.
The Mega Water Project started in the village in 2011 with a completion target of two years. The NABARD supported project, with an estimated cost of Rs 17.50 crore, has however, not made much headway even after five years.
Talking to mediapersons, a resident of Gobardhanpur, identified as Ajaya Bhoi, said, "People of nearly 50 villages are not getting pure drinking water. We request the government to take action immediately so that our basic necessity of getting clean water is solved."
While work of five overhead tanks is continuing, the work of another water treatment plant is yet to start.
Agreeing to the delay in execution of the work, Executive Engineer Chittaranjan Jena said, "It is a matter of concern for all of us. We had given the work to an agency earlier for two years but were unable to complete the work. In the current tender we are working on war footing to complete the work by December 2017.