Taps run dry in 2 districts amid govt's claims of water coverage

Time of India

29-05-2025

Bageshwar: In stark contrast to the govt's claims of achieving 100% household water coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission, residents in Bageshwar are grappling with acute water shortages.
The ongoing crisis is not only threatening daily life but also severely affecting agriculture. Villagers are now demanding sustainable, long-term solutions that go beyond infrastructure announcements and statistical milestones.
While officials recently announced that all 54,659 households in Bageshwar had been connected to tap water, several villages across the district continue to struggle without consistent access to safe drinking water.
In Mandalsera, residents have gone without water for the past three days. With domestic taps running dry and traditional sources depleted, people queue through the night at hand pumps to secure enough water for basic needs.
"Pipelines were laid and pumps installed, but we still haven't seen a single drop in our homes. Even the old naulas (groundwater spring) have dried up. We have no dependable source left," said Ramesh Gariya, a local resident.
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Hema Devi, another resident, added, "There's such a rush at the pumps in the mornings and evenings, we can't collect enough water. Now we're spending our nights there. We've raised complaints, but nothing changes."
The community health centre in Kanda has been without water for five days, disrupting patient care and daily operations. In Dhapoli village, residents — mostly women — walk over two kilometres daily to fetch water.
"Our backs are breaking," said Darshani Dhapola, another resident. "The taps installed under Jal Jeevan Mission two years ago have never worked."
Almora is facing a similar situation. Despite recent rains, villages in the Hawalbagh and Dhauladevi blocks, including Sainar, Talad, Railapali, Kandanoula, Papoli, Bhanoli, Gurudabaj, Maniagar and Toli, continue to rely on water tankers or natural sources.
Social worker Vinod Tiwari criticised the inefficiency of costly water projects: "In 2016, Rs 42 crore was spent on the Saryu-Danya Pumping Scheme to serve villages in Danya, Dhyari, Pokhri, and Kalauta. Another Rs 7 crore went into the Gairad Pumping Scheme. But even slight rainfall clogs the rivers with silt, halting supply for days."
Amid growing frustration, villagers are threatening protests if the crisis persists. Jal Sansthan's executive engineer CS Dewari has assured that water tankers will be sent to affected areas as a stopgap measure.