Jamshedpur: Over 1.50 lakh people residing in Govindpur and surrounding suburban areas on the southern outskirts of Jamshedpur are enduring severe hardships due to a major water scarcity triggered by ongoing power outages. For two consecutive days, residents have struggled to secure water for drinking and domestic chores. Locals reported that the prolonged power failure has dealt a double blow to the community.
Double Impact of Power Failure
“The power outage has completely halted the tap water supply, and residents are also unable to operate their personal borewells without electricity,” said Shailesh Tiwary, a local resident, on Tuesday. The crisis has been severely aggravated by extreme temperatures and high humidity, affecting residents across all age groups.
Public Protests Erupt
“Children, the elderly, and youth have all gathered here with empty buckets and water pots to protest under the scorching sun. We want officials to realise just how dire the situation is,” said Laxmi Nag, who joined a public demonstration in Govindpur on Tuesday. Local resident and Zila Parishad member Paritosh Singh noted that the water crisis spans 21 panchayats across Govindpur, Gadra, and suburbs in Rahargoda, Barigoda, and Parsudih. “We arranged water tankers for the area, but even 10 rounds of deliveries are falling drastically short of the massive demand,” Singh added.
Official Responses
Sunil Kumar, executive engineer of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (DWSD), Jamshedpur division, confirmed that the lack of electricity is the sole cause of the disruption. “As soon as the power supply is restored, we will resume the water supply immediately. There is no operational failure on our end,” Kumar said. The Govindpur Drinking Water Project is a dedicated facility catering to these 1.50 lakh people.
Power Restoration Efforts
Contacted, officials from the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL) said that an overhead power transmission line connected to the Manifit feeder snapped during a thunderstorm two days ago, causing the blackout. “We have almost resolved the issue, and power will be restored at any moment,” assured Anand Kaushik, JBVNL executive engineer for the Govindpur sub-division.
About the Author: B Sridhar, based in Jamshedpur, covers the entire Kolhan region including East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Seraikela-Kharsawan, reporting on topics such as left wing extremism, city life, urban policies, and other wide-ranging issues.
