Solar drinking water pump lies defunct, villagers in trouble

A solar drinking water pump at Chata gram panchayat in Derabishi block of Kendrapara district has been lying defunct for the last three years annoyed villagers as they are facing lots of trouble.

The process work as such the solar water pump project pumped water from the borewell to the overhead tank. The solar pump works automatically and is activated by a sensor whenever the water level in the overhead tank depletes. But due to some technical issues it became defunct three years back.

According to the sources, the drinking water project was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on March 5, 2016. The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) department had spent `1.20 crore to construct the project which is powered by solar energy.

Talking about situation and the problem being faced by the villagers, assistant engineer of RWSS department Bibhudata Das said, “We have written to the head office in Bhubaneswar about the project. A team of officials will visit the village soon to repair it.”