Jaisalmer News: Currently, in Sagra village, which falls under the Jhabra Gram Panchayat in Jaisalmer district, the villagers are grappling with a severe drinking water crisis. They report that the Water Supply Department tube well has been out of order for the last one month and everyone is in distress concerning that. They now have to buy water at high rates, which is creating financial hardships for the people as well as for their livestock. The villagers have claimed that the situation is reaching a climax and have asked for their demands to be attended to before they would take to the streets in protest.
Villager Hari Singh said the problem started a month ago when the water pipeline broke. Soon after that, the Water Supply Department switched off the tube well. Nobody has repaired the pipeline or switched on the tube well since then. “We don’t know what to do, ” said Hari Singh. If the water problem is not fixed soon, the villagers may have to protest, he said. “We are upset and hopeless because the authorities haven’t done anything to resolve the issue, ” he said.
The pipeline, which was constructed some time ago, broke down a month ago, said Hari Singh. “After the pipeline broke down, the department turned off the tube well and stopped the water supply completely, ” he said. “We have been complaining to the Water Supply Department officials but no steps have been taken to resolve the issue so far, ” he added. “The entire village has been facing this water scarcity for the past one month, ” said Mandeep Kaur, a villager. “Now we have to arrange water tankers by spending around Rs 900. It is a heavy burden on our pockets. .
A Community and Livestock in Crisis
Another villager Bhuru Singh said that the situation has become acute in Sagra, where there are around 400 households and nearly 500 animals. ‘Both people and animals have been suffering for the past one month because of the scarcity of drinking water, ’ Bhuru Singh said. ‘We have informed Water Supply Department officials several times but they have not taken any action, ’ he said. ‘The pipeline has not been repaired and the tube well is not operational. The situation is getting worse every day. ’
They have warned the authorities that if their demands are not met they will hit the streets. Hari Singh, Bhuru Singh, Hukum Singh, Prem Prakash and Bheru Lal are some of the villagers who have spoken to TOI. “If the problem is not solved immediately we will hit the streets, ” they said. The people of the village are one in their anger as the water crisis has affected them in every way—from daily chores to taking care of livestock. With no solution in sight, the people of Sagra village are running out of patience and options. “We want the government to take a quick decision to end our month-long suffering, ” said Pradeep Singh, a resident of the village.
