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In 30 Jind villages, taps running dry for 3 weeks
Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service

Safidon (Jind), May 18
Nearly 30 villages in Jind’s Safidon sub-division have been facing an acute shortage of potable water since the last week of April. What’s worse is that there’s no relief in sight.

Villages depend on electricity-run submersible pumps and tubewells for water supply. The demand for water increases in summer, but power supply decreases. In many villages, handpumps throw out water that is not fit for even washing clothes.

Sample this: Morkhi village, around 36 km from Jind, has around 4,000 voters, but no proper arrangement of water. The local tank is not big enough. Hand-pumps give highly-polluted water.

“We spend all day worrying about water and arranging for it. We have to walk to a nearby village to fetch water,” said 45-year-old Krishna, balancing on her head a precious pot of water.

Three of the four submersible pumps have been non-functional for a long time. The fourth does not work because of erratic power supply. “We get electricity for four-five hours a day. The sole working submersible pump in our village cannot in January, but elections in all four states are expected to be held simultaneously in October. The party believes that Shah will be instrumental in effective coordination in these states ahead of the Assembly elections.

"The other parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party, will try to rectify their mistakes made in the General Elections and will try to perform better in the Assembly elections. These elections will be the BJP's first test after forming the government at the Centre and we don't want to take any chances," a senior BJP leader said.

Shah, who had managed Atal Behari Vajpayee and LK Advani's election campaigns, is considered a master election strategist. Sources say it was Shah's idea to field Modi from Varanasi which proved beneficial for the party not only in Uttar Pradesh but also the adjoining Poorvanchal areas in Bihar.

Officialspeak

While Jind Executive Engineer Surender Dalal could not be contacted, Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Rattan said he had sought a detailed report in the matter. “I have asked the Public Health Department to give me a ground report by May 23. That’s when we will be able to take action,” Rattan said.