SUNSARI: Inmates at the regional jail in Sunsari’s Jhumka have been facing an acute shortage of drinking water. The inmates are compelled to drink contaminated water as the water supplied is not enough to their number. There are 270 prisoners but only two of the six hand-pumps are working. Administration chief Tiger Rai said water drawn from two other taps was also not fit for consumption. "We’ve been using tap water for washing and bathing only," he said. "The inmates are suffering from skin diseases due to the polluted water." Baidhyanath Mandal, another administrator, lamented that authorities concerned had not taken heed to solving the problem despite requests. Jailer Bhojraj Regmi admitted the scarcity of potable water in the jail and urged authorities to assist in infrastructure development.