JAJARKOT: More than 400 drinking water projects in Jajarkot district are said to be in the lurch. These projects were constructed over the period of last 10 years.

The present condition of the drinking water projects is due to negligence on part of the concerned government offices and consumers committees, in not carrying out their repair and maintenance.

As a result of this situation, a dozen settlements including Khalanga Bazaar, Jagatipur, Punma, Bhur, Seema, Juga Thapachaur, Thalaraikar, Paink, Khagenkot, Dhime, Pajaru, Majkot, Suwanauli, Dasera, Nayakbada and Sakla are suffering from water shortages.

As many as 300 families in Jiri, Barekot Rural Municipality are also dependent on a well and stream water for their water supply. 600 families at Jintala and Khurpa are also facing hard times to meet their daily water needs.

Likewise, 800 households at Kudu, Bheri Municipality-13 have been facing acute shortage of water for many years now. They are compelled to drink the murky water from a local well and Bheri River.

It is said some 10,000 households in Jajarkot do not have access to drinking water. Outbreak of water-induced diseases like diarrhoea, cholera among others is common in the district due to drinking of contaminated water.

Meanwhile, the local levels have constructed 300 small drinking water projects in the district in the last fiscal year, benefitting some 13,000 households.

District drinking water sub-division office chief Maheshi Mahato said that repair and maintenance of the old water supply projects and construction of new ones have not picked up speed due to lack of adequate budget.