The implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba has come under fresh scrutiny after a ₹65-lakh overhead water tank built under the scheme developed cracks and burst immediately after its first testing, wasting thousands of litres of water.
The 2.05-lakh-litre capacity tank, constructed in Nagaradang village of Jaitpur block, reportedly cracked as soon as it was filled for trial.
Videos of water gushing out of the damaged structure quickly went viral on social media, raising serious questions over construction quality.
₹900 Crore Project, Delays Continue
The Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented in the district at an estimated cost of ₹900 crore. Originally slated for completion in 2024, the deadline has now been extended to 2026.
While pipelines have been laid in several villages, residents claim water supply has yet to begin. In many areas, roads dug up for pipeline installation remain unrepaired. Officials, however, maintain that work is progressing as planned.
Tank Bursts During Testing
The newly constructed ₹65-lakh tank in Nagaradang village was meant to supply drinking water to local households. However, cracks appeared immediately after water was filled for testing, leading to structural failure.
The entire stored water was wasted. Following the viral circulation of the video, district authorities initiated damage control.
According to a report in the Hindi news portal, ADM (Namami Gange) stated that the defect would be rectified soon and assured that necessary corrective measures would be taken.
Political Flashpoint In Mahoba
The incident comes weeks after a public confrontation on January 30 between BJP MLA Brij Bhushan Rajput and Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh over alleged irregularities in the scheme.
Rajput had blocked the minister’s convoy along with several village heads, listing alleged shortcomings in the Jal Jeevan Mission’s implementation. The episode triggered significant political rhetoric and exposed intra-party tensions.
The bursting of the newly built tank has now intensified concerns over alleged corruption and poor execution of the ambitious drinking water scheme.
