Rabindranath Biswas
Parnasala, March 06: The dearth of water in almost every part of rural areas in A & N Islands in the summer season is a common but stinging feature. And this scarcity of water in the rural areas causes significant hardships to the villagers which they are compelled to embrace, as there are no other options left for them.
However, the root cause of this water crisis is a larger question that needs to be delved into. And people across these islands often put their best effort in discerning the core reason of this water scarcity, and ultimately they fail to pinpoint its bottom line causes; while some of them end up fathoming out- “if the reasons are the results of the incompetence of the administration or these islands’ geographical challenges”. There are different opinions and observations from various sections of people as well as organizations. But the question still revolves around the scarcity of water and its root causes that continue to persist almost in every rural as well as in urban areas in these islands.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, the Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Parnasala, Mr. Balamurugan said that the residents of Parnasala village and its adjoin areas under his Gram Panchayat are wrestling with the problems owing to lack of water, while there is a viable water source in the forest area called Beach Dera, Parnasala, and if a dam is constructed to arrest the water reportedly flowing down wastefully to the sea, the water to be so dammed up can be distributed and supplied to a number of villages, he put forth as a suggestion.
The Pradhan said that recently Mr. Bishnu pada Ray, the Member of Parliament reportedly visited Parnasala in order to explore the forest and land in the area. Mr. Balamurugan called on him and apprised the MP of the sufferings of the residents of Parnasala village owing to want of water in the area.
The Pradhan also floated a suggestion to build a dam across a natural flow of water in the jungle of Parnasala and arrest the water reportedly flowing down wastefully to the sea. He said that the water to be so dammed up can be distributed and supplied to the villages such as Parnasala, Sabari, Bakultal, Kaushallyanagar, Rangat etc. where the people have to reportedly suffer a lot during the summer season, he said. After considering the suggestion, the MP then reportedly discussed the matter with the DFO and ACF Rangat if the administration could have a recourse to the water source at Beach Dera.
The DFO, Rangat who sounded sanguine and reportedly said that there was reportedly a feasibility of constructing a dam in the deeper part of Parnasala forest to catch the water if needed, the Pradhan said. Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray was also reportedly interested to provide the proposed dam project cost from MPLADS’ fund so as to construct the dam in Beach Dera so that the water crisis could be combated. The MP also urged the DFO to work on this proposed dam project in close coordination with APWD to implement the project on priority, the Pradhan said.
Earlier on the day, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray had trekked up the hills in Parnasala along with DFO and ACF Rangat in order to reportedly explore the forest in the area, Mr. Balamurugan further added.
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