Latur Village Has Water, But Taps Remain Dry

Latur: Despite sufficient water in a well dug under the Jal Jeevan Mission, residents of several tandas (hamlets) in Nagalgaon village of Udgir tehsil in Latur district continue to face water scarcity as the new water supply network remains incomplete.

Watch Video:

Rajiv Waghe, former sarpanch of the village, said the well dug in the village pond had sufficient water, but it was not reaching households because of incomplete pipeline work, leakage and an unfinished overhead water tank. The project, intended to provide regular drinking water to rural households, has reportedly stalled amid delays in payments to the contractor.

“Water is available in the well, but what is the use if it does not reach people's taps?” Waghe said, describing the difficulties faced by residents despite the availability of a water source.

According to Waghe, Nagalgaon has eight tandas. Four receive water, while four face difficulties. The affected habitations include Somalak Kashiram Tanda, Maruti Tanda, Raghoba Tanda, Rangwad Tanda and Chawale Tanda, he said.

Somalak Kashiram Tanda is one of the larger settlements, with around 500 voters and an estimated population of 1,000 to 1,500. Other hamlets have smaller populations, with some having around 100 to 200 voters, Waghe said.

Residents of the affected habitations continue to depend on alternative sources or the old water supply network. Waghe said that during his tenure, he had used funds from the 14th Finance Commission to repair damaged pipelines under the earlier Jalswarajya scheme and restore the supply.

However, highway-related road work may have damaged sections of the old pipeline, further disrupting the limited supply to some hamlets, he said. The new Jal Jeevan Mission network is yet to become operational, with pipeline and overhead tank work incomplete. Pending payments have also affected progress, according to Waghe.

The shortage has particularly affected residents living in elevated areas, who have to fetch water from sources at lower elevations. Pregnant women and other residents face additional hardship while carrying water uphill, he said.

Sangram Rathod, a resident of Raghoba Tanda, alleged that several hamlets had been deprived of drinking water despite the availability of sufficient water in a well under the Jalswarajya scheme.

He said a water storage tank had been constructed two to three years ago and taps had been installed in individual households, but not a single drop of water had flowed through them for the past two to three years. Despite repeatedly bringing the issue to the notice of the sarpanch and gramsevak, the problem remained unresolved, he alleged.

Residents of Raghoba Tanda, Somalak Kashiram Tanda, Chawale Tanda and Rangwad Tanda were facing severe difficulties in accessing drinking water, Rathod said. He questioned why public money had been spent on infrastructure that had failed to deliver water to households and urged the administration to investigate the issue and ensure a regular supply.

A local woman also questioned the authorities over the failure to provide water for drinking and domestic use. She said that despite government-funded water schemes, multiple borewells and substantial expenditure, residents continued to face a shortage.

According to the woman, some families were being forced to buy water at ₹10 per pot, adding to their financial burden. She questioned why motors had not been installed to draw water from existing wells and demanded immediate intervention, including functional tankers or emergency water supply arrangements.

Residents have called for an inspection of the project, repairs to damaged pipelines and completion of the pending work to ensure regular water supply to all affected habitations.

The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide functional household tap connections with a regular supply of safe drinking water. The situation in Nagalgaon highlights the gap between building water infrastructure and ensuring that water actually reaches rural households.