Villagers forced to drink contaminated water

Villagers forced to drink contaminated water

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 18: The people of Moodushedde, which is located near Pilikula, do not have access to clean drinking water facilities. Forced to use contaminated water for drinking purposes, they have developed all sorts of health problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and so on. The issue was discussed during the monthly meeting of the Mangalore Taluk Panchayat on Tuesday. 

Harish K., the member of the Moodushedde GP, said that the water has been tested twice and found unfit for drinking purposes. Complaining that the authorities concerned have not taken any action, he said that a written statement issued by concerned officials that the problem has been solved by sinking a borewell is just not true. He said that the borewell was approved long before the problem developed, adding that it has been sunk in Padushedde, which cannot be accessed by the people of Moodushedde. He also said that District-in-charge Minister Palemar has been told about the problem. 

Rubbishing officials’ claims that water was supplied to the affected people through tankers, he said that the GP already has a large pending bill for water supplied through tankers and can do nothing about the situation. Although the issue was discussed for quite sometime, no solution was suggested. 

Members also alleged that the problem of water scarcity in Asaigoli has not yet been solved. One of the GP members said angrily that the MLAs’ task forces were hardly bothered about the people. 

Mohammed K. of the Manjanady GP spoke about sand mining and alleged that ministers and legislators formed part of the sand mafia. MLA U. T. Khader said that if the issue was properly investigated, several local leaders will be found guilty. He urged the Taluk Panchayat to write to the state government about it. 

Members also grumbled about several applications related to housing sites that lay pending in offices and said that the government, which has announced that it will issue title deeds to villagers who have constructed houses on 5-cent government land, suddenly reduced the size of the site by half without clarifying what would happen to those who had applied for title deeds for houses built on 5-cent sites.