Flood hit drinking water in Jajpur.

By Akshya Rout,JAJPUR :Around 4.70 Lakh people of Bari, Binjharapur, Rasulpur, DBy asarathapur, Barachana, Sukinda, Jajpur, Dharmasala and Korei blocks in Jajpur district are stranded by flooding with concern growing about food and water supplies.“The water level of the Brahamani , Baitarani and Birupa and their tributaries have started showing a rising trend as a result hundreds of tube-wells are submerged in the flood water. Many flood hit villagers are making do with only the most meager food supplies and dirty water. Many marooned villagers are drinking polluted water from the half- submerged tube-wells. “ We have been drinking dirty water due to non- availability of potable water. Some villagers are trekking one kilometer to collect water from a tube well at a higher place at village Duttapur. Eight tube-wells in our village became defunct after flood water entered in the tube-wells, said Anam Behera of Duttapur. Many villagers are being forced to purchase water pouches from a shop in our village , said Saraj Das of Kalamatia village under Bari block.Subhas Sahoo , also sheltering on an embankment at village Mirzapur , said authorities had made no provision for the supply of drinking water. “We’ve been forced to drink muddy water,” he said. When contacted Umesh Chandra Lenka the district emergency officer said “ We have distributed two Lakh water pouches in the flood hit villages. RWSS officials have been directed to supply water in tankers in many areas”.