Water in News – a Bulletin of Media Coverage of Water Issues
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Water in News – A bulletin of media coverage of water issues WATER IN NEWS A daily compilation of media coverage of water issues for 13.05.2014, Tuesday Dear readers, Regional Centre for Development Cooperation (RCDC) is extremely happy to present you ‘Water in News’ bulletin for May 13, 2014. Today’s media coverage of water issues have been captured in the following heads: (a) Rural Drinking Water, (b) Urban Drinking Water, (c) Industrial Use, (d) Policy/Programme Watch, (e) Irrigation, (f) Water Management, (h) Sanitation, (i) Dam/River/ Reservoir infrastructures, (j) Disaster, and (k) What to Say . RCDC hopes that the readers will find the bulletin us eful. Earlier issues of WIN can be accessed at www.rcdcindia.org . Your inputs, comments, feedbacks and critics will help us improve the bulletin. Kindly write to [email protected] , [email protected] . Regional Centre for Development Cooperation Today’s bulletin covers water news and issues featured in newspapers and web portals published on 13.05.2014. We have covered print or e-paper editions of the following newspapers: (a) Sambad (all Samaj (Bhubaneswar), (b) Dharitri, (c) Prameya (all edition), (d) Samay (Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur), (e) Pragativadi, (f) Times of India (Bhubaneswar), (g) Pioneer (Bhubaneswar), and (h) New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar). Besides we have covered web portals of (a) The Hindu, (b) The Telegraph, (c) Orissadiary, and (d) Odisha Sun Times. Contents Rural Drinking Water ............................................................................................................................... 2 Urban Drinking Water .............................................................................................................................. 3 Industrial use ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Dispute .................................................................................................................................................... 3 Policy / Programme Watch ...................................................................................................................... 3 Irrigation .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Water Management ................................................................................................................................. 4 Sanitation ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Dam/Reservoir/River Infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 5 Disaster ................................................................................................................................................... 5 What to Say? ........................................................................................................................................... 5 A compilation of media’s coverage of water issues by Regional Centre for Development Cooperation 1 Water in News – A bulletin of media coverage of water issues People of all these villages are sourcing their Rural Drinking Water drinking water from one private farm pond. The Rs 26 lakh Pipe Water Supply project didn’t last pipe water supply that was supposed to supply 26 days, people collect watger from ‘chua’: water to village is defunct. The area is affected by groundwater salinity. Local people demand Sambapur of edition of Prameya has published a rainwater harvesting to store fresh water. report of Kapani village of Belpada block in Balangir district. The report says that a Rs 26 PWS repaired and restored in Chandbali block lakh pipe water supply project which was village: Berhampur edition of Prameya reports completed in 2013 did not even function for 26 that two pipe water supply projects which was lying defunct since long in Aradi Panchayat of days. Substandard work is the main reason Chandabali block in Bhadrak district have been behind failure, says the report. People are repaired and restored. The two PWS projects collecting their drinking water from ‘bali chuas’ have started water supply to Batol, Sanapanki, dug in Sautenjore rivulet. Engineer of RWSS Singipur, Nandapur, Koilikhan and Bankamuhan informs that pipe water is damaged at some villages. places and will be repaid soon. PWS project of Bhubanapali of Malkangiri not PWS projects in Kishorenagar block defunct: working since 5 years: Jeypore edition of Angul edition of Samad informs that may pipe Sambad reports that the Pipe Water Supply water supply projects in Kishorenagar block of project of Bhubanpali village in Padia block of Angul district are not functioning since long. The Malkangiri district is not working since five report mentions that the PWS projects of years. About 1500 people of the village are Badadangiani, Himtira and Jurate villages are not having a very difficult time. The pipe network of functioning. Badadangiani PWS is has been the project is extensively damaged. The completed since two years but power supply has mechanic in-charge of the project has not got not been made. Same is the situation with salary since last four years. HImitira. Jaraet PWS was not functioning as the One dead 15 ill, infected water causes village transformer was burnt. The RWSS Junior diarrhoea in Khalikote block: The Samaj reports informs that the transformer has been replaced that one has succumbed to diarrhoea while 15 but the pump is not working now. others are ill in Bania, Bhakudidihi and Longhar 28 deaths to Kidney disease in Balangir, villages of Khalikote block of Ganjam district. fluoride contamination blamed, NHRC Bania is the worst affected village. Infected summons report from government: A report in water of an well is suspected to have caused Berhampur edition of Prameya informs that illness. The source has been infected by kidney disease has already taken 28 lives in government department. Rampur, Dharadadar and jharnipali Panchayat of One dead, 6 ill, tubewell water causes Agalpur block in Balangir district. On a petition diarrhoea in Solabandi village of Korai block : of human rights activist the National Human Samay reports of diarrhoea death from the Rights Commission has summed Chief Secretary village. The report alleges that water of tube of Odisha to submit a report. High fluoride well is infected. No government officials have content in drinking water is blamed for the reached the village, Samay says. disease. The Commission has asked state government to submit report within four weeks. Infected water from Brahmanijharilo PWS project alleged: The Samaj reports that Mahakalpada villagers depend on farm pond Brahmanijharilo PWS project near Barang in for drinking water as PWS project is defunct: Cuttack district is partially defunct and supplying Prameya as well as Dharitri report pitiable polluted water. The pipeline is broken at many drinking water scenario from Chhedakani, places. Concerned Engineer says that pipeline Barakanda and Gualakani villages of has been damaged at some places due to Mahakalapada block in Kendrapada district. A compilation of media’s coverage of water issues by Regional Centre for Development Cooperation 2 Water in News – A bulletin of media coverage of water issues extension of Phulnakhara-Niali road. He has along the Mahanadi river are dependent on the assured quick repair. water. The body has alleged that agriculture will be ruined if water is given to POSCO. The body KBK Administrator asks Nabarangpur has threatened massive agitation if the approval administration to speed up drinking water and is not rolled back. toilet projects: As per a report in Jeypore edition of Sambad, 34 of 71 Pipe Water Supply projects Dispute have been completed. Similarly only 632 of Pollavaram – Political recipe for environmental 29,400 toilets earmarked for year 2013-14 have disaster: An editorial page opinion piece in The been completed. KBK administrator Dr Tara Dutt Hindu by Avilash Roul argues that it’s not the advised the administration to focus on quantity of water-sharing between the riparian household tap connection. He also directed to States that is the bone of contention but the complete all toilet project by June. height of the dam and submergence of areas in Odisha. The edit piece advises Odisha to revisit No drinking water: Bargarh villagers warn of all inter-State agreements, drawn or not drawn, agitation: The Pioneer reports that many parts to plan for the future. He believes that such a of Bhatli and Bhukta are acute shortage of move will certainly pave the way for settlement drinking water. The report informs that neither of water disputes and for comprehensive the Gram Panchayat (GP) nor the Block office development of the water sector in the State. tries to sort out the problem. The locals have Policy / Programme Watch threatened to resort to agitation if the Odisha readies Rs 100 Cr roof-top rainwater administration does not solve the problem. harvesting plan: The Hindu reports about Odisha government’s ambitious Rs 100 Cr plan Water supply in Begunia affected because of for roof-top rainwater harvesting and ground frequent power cut: The Samay reports that water recharge. The plan includes rainwater people of Begunia are not getting water at the harvesting in private building as well. The specified time because of frequent