Residents lock waterworks in Charkhi Dadri village

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, March 24

Residents of Ranila village of Charkhi Dadri facing water crisis for over 10 years today locked two waterworks and threatened to block the Delhi-Dadri highway if the authorities fail to redress their problem in the next 10 days.

The villages alleged they were forced to use brackish groundwater due to water shortage, which had resulted in skin diseases and cancer to many residents. “We have no option but to use this water,” they rued.

Raj Singh, a villager, said the waterworks had been rendered useless for the last 10 years. “Farmers steal water from the Baund distributory even before it reaches our village located at the tail end,” he said.

Sunil Kumar, husband of Sharmila Devi, village sarpanch, said the panchayat had taken up the issue with the Chief Minister after which a plan was chalked out to connect the waterworks with the Loharu canal. “Even a budget of Rs 3 crore was estimated for the project. But it is still hanging fire,” he alleged.

“Five-seven persons die due to cancer in our village every year. At present, there are around 20 cancer patients here. We sent the water for testing to a lab in Hyderabad after which a team of doctors organised a camp here two months ago and advised villagers against the use of groundwater,” he said.

He said villagers purchased water from tankers for Rs 400. The tanker operators fetched water from neighbouring Chinay and other villages.

Rajbir Kaushik, Superintending Engineer, Public Health Engineering, said, “We plan to link one of the waterworks to the Loharu feeder after which the problem will be solved,” he said.