Bibalwada-Bethoda households long for tap water connection

Staff Reporter

Ponda

Like Torla in Shiroda, the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ mission also cuts a sorry figure in Bibalwada area of Bethoda village wherein around 30 families are yet to get PWD tap water connections and are dependent on two public taps, which draw water from a pond.  

Bibalwada is situated on the border of Ponda taluka, connecting Kirlapal-Dabal village panchayat of Dharbandora. Due to its remote location, the area has not received much attention in terms of basic facilities like tap water connection.

There are around 30 families residing at Bibalwada and they are fully dependent on two taps provided by the UB Group of Companies under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative a decade ago. The water flowing through the two taps is sourced from a pond situated on
Bibalwada hill.

According to the villagers, the PWD has not laid water lines in the area and, hence, houses have remained without the tap
water connections. 

Until 2013, villagers were fetching water from the pond situated uphill for drinking purposes. But after the initiative of former sarpanch Poonam Samant and UB Group of Companies, two public taps were installed sourcing water from the pond. Locals have been using the same water for drinking purpose since then and do have any
other alternative.

Since the taps are installed at a central location, the womenfolk have to get water home with the
help of utensils.

Locals say that during summer season water flow in both the taps reduces and they have to manage with it as there is no other water supply provision in
the village.

It has been many years now that the villagers are dependent on the uphill waterbody for their daily water needs and having a tap water connection in their homes has become a distant dream
for them.

It should be noted that the state government is boasting about providing 100% tap connections in the state under the Har Ghar Jal mission, but this daily has found out that there are several households in Shiroda and Bethoda area of Ponda taluka that are longing for tap water facility.