Tripura, Poang Bari Block 17th March 2025
A severe drinking water crisis has engulfed the Poang Bari Block area of Tripura, causing widespread distress among the indigenous hill residents. With no access to clean and safe drinking water for days, locals are crying out in desperation, facing a humanitarian crisis as the scorching summer months approach.
Residents report that despite repeated complaints to local authorities and political representatives, no action has been taken to resolve the issue. The administration remains silent, and neither the BJP-led government’s much-hyped “Atal Jal Jeevan Mission” nor Tipra Motha’s MDCs (Members of District Council) have stepped forward to provide relief to the struggling people.
“Where are the so-called community-loving MDCs of Tipra Motha now? Where are the promises of ‘water in every household’ by the BJP leaders under the Atal Jal Jeevan Mission? Our people are walking miles to fetch even a pot of water,” lamented a local villager.
Villagers, especially women and children, are forced to travel long distances through hilly terrain to fetch water from unsafe and unhygienic sources, increasing their risk of disease. With no proper water supply system functioning in the region, the crisis is worsening day by day.
Community leaders and elders have criticized both the BJP government and the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) for their failure to ensure basic human rights like access to drinking water.
“During elections, they come asking for votes with promises of development. But when it comes to basic needs like water, all leaders disappear,” said a local youth leader.
Residents also expressed frustration over the lack of transparency regarding government-funded water supply projects. Crores of rupees have reportedly been sanctioned under various schemes, yet the condition on the ground reflects utter neglect and mismanagement.
The situation has now sparked public outrage, with many threatening to stage protests and block roads if immediate action is not taken. Villagers are demanding urgent intervention from the state government, TTAADC authorities, and local representatives to restore the drinking water supply and ensure a permanent solution to this ongoing crisis.
Despite the worsening condition, no official from the administration or political parties has visited the affected areas to assess the ground reality, further fueling public anger.
This alarming water crisis in Poang Bari Block raises serious questions about the effectiveness of state and central water supply initiatives like the Atal Jal Jeevan Mission, which was launched to provide clean drinking water to every rural household in India.
The people of Poang Bari now wait in hope, but with growing doubt and anger, for their voices to be heard and their basic right to water to be fulfilled.
