Relief for water-starved villages soon

SAMBALPUR: Relief is in store for 12 water-starved villages of Dhankauda block as phase-II work of the Integrated Rural Piped Water Supply (IRPWS) project at Pradhanpali will be completed shortly. The work is being executed by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) wing. Executive Engineer of RWSS BP Routray said a target has been set to complete phase-II work by July this year. Pipelines have already been laid in 10 of the total 12 villages. Work is underway in remaining two villages of Majhipali and Ranikhinda. Besides, work on four overhead tanks has already been completed. 

As many as 17,508 people residing in these 12 villages will get safe drinking water after completion of the project. Sources said water will be supplied to these villages through public stand posts and household connections.The villages which will be benefited are Balbashpur, Sagunpali, Bhalubahal, Pabapali, Kankhinda, Majhipai, Sason, Ranikhinda, Sadasingha, Katapali, Gurupali and Nuakhurigaon.

Water for the project will be drawn from Hirakud Dam Reservoir. A water treatment plant with 5 MLD capacity at Pradhanpali will feed water to the four overhead tanks at Gaudapali Chowk, Bhalubahal, Sason by-pass and Nuakhurigaon.

Phase-II work on the project, estimated cost of which is around `12.45 crore, began in October, 2017. Routray said they had set a target to complete work by July last year. However, the private construction firm, in charge of four-laning the Sambalpur-Rourkela highway under the Biju Expressway, did not allow them to lay pipeline over a culvert at Bhalubahal. However, the matter has been resolved and the pipeline has already been laid, he added.