₹6-Crore Tube Well in Rattian still dry, villagers left waiting, drying hand pumps, falling water table add to misery, officials absent, grievances ignored, villagers allege apathy, blame game between officials and contractor stalls the project
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RS Pura: Despite the installation of multiple tube wells under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the R.S. Pura PHE Sub-Division, several villages continue to suffer due to the non-supply of drinking water, leaving thousands of residents frustrated and helpless.A major tube well constructed in Rattian village, built at a cost of over ₹6 crore, was meant to provide clean drinking water to Tanda, Rattian, Dhinde Kalan, Nihalpur Simbal, Makhanpur, and adjoining villages.Although the pipeline connections were reportedly completed and testing was conducted nearly seven months ago—with water flowing for barely 10 minutes—not a drop has reached the government taps since then. Residents have been waiting endlessly, with no clarity on when the supply will finally begin.For decades, villagers have depended on hand pumps for drinking water. However, with water tables falling drastically during May to August, most hand pumps go dry. Earlier, monsoons used to restore groundwater levels, but poor rainfall in recent years has caused water scarcity to persist for months.As a result, many families are forced to install submersible pumps, digging as deep as 150–200 feet, costing them ₹40,000 to ₹50,000—an unbearable financial burden for many rural households.Villagers claim that the officer in charge of the tube well rarely attends office, leaving complaints unheard. Despite repeated visits and phone calls, residents say they receive only excuses instead of solutions.Junior Engineer Pankaj Goswami stated that the contractor has been slow in completing the remaining work. According to him, only the connection between the overhead tank and the manifold, along with a few technical adjustments, is pending. He assured that once this is completed, water supply will begin regularly.Government officials maintain that their part of the work is complete and the delay is from the contractor’s side. Conversely, contractors claim that payments have not been released, despite their work being finished.This continuous blame-shifting has left villagers suffering while the project remains stuck in limbo.Residents of Rattian, Tanda, Dhinde Kalan, and surrounding areas are appealing to the administration for urgent intervention to resolve the technical and administrative hurdles. A project meant to provide assured drinking water under the Jal Jeevan Mission cannot be allowed to remain non-functional while citizens struggle daily for their most basic need.
