Paralakhemundi,(Tarini Prasad Panda):The noble promise of the government’s Vasudha Yojana, envisioned to bring safe drinking water to every household, appears painfully distant in parts of Gajapati district. In the quiet hamlet of Gamang Sahi under Ukhura Panchayat of Gumma Block, the scheme’s lofty vision fades into a daily struggle, as women are forced to walk nearly a kilometre in search of a single pot of water.
Home to more than twenty families, Gamang Sahi slips deeper into hardship with the arrival of summer. Water, the most basic necessity of life, remains beyond easy reach. Ironically, even as the government invests heavily to ensure household water supply, the residents here continue to face an acute scarcity that tests their endurance each day.
In earlier days, hope had arrived through the efforts of the Village Development Volunteer Organization, which had devised a modest system to channel spring water from the nearby hill and store it for the villagers’ use. But with the scorching days setting in, that lifeline has begun to dry up. The lone tube well in the locality, now worn and neglected, produces only muddy water, unfit for drinking.
Left with no alternative, villagers trek nearly a kilometre to a distant well to fetch water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes and other daily needs. For the elderly and the physically challenged, the journey is impossible. In a touching display of solidarity, neighbours often carry an extra pot of water for them, sharing what little they can.
The silence of the administration has deepened the villagers’ frustration. With no public representative or official visiting the area to assess the crisis, residents submitted a written complaint to Paralakhemundi MLA Rupesh Panigrahi. Acting on the plea, the MLA reportedly advised them to meet the concerned officials at Gumma Block. However, despite visiting the block office twice and waiting the entire day, the villagers claim they could not meet the concerned officer.
Now, patience is running dry just like their water sources. Residents including Amerjeet Gamang, Ajiy Gamang, Sumanrani Shabar, Junita Gamang and Igan Gamang have warned that if the administration fails to take immediate steps to ensure drinking water for Gamang Sahi, they will be compelled to launch a protest to make their voices heard.
For the women of this small tribal hamlet, every sunrise still begins with a weary walk for water — a stark reminder that the promise of water to every doorstep remains, for them, a distant dream.
