The residents of Bhawanipatna town and its surrounding areas in Kalahandi district are facing acute water shortage. Most of the tube wells and hand pumps in the area have dried up due to decreasing level of groundwater. “There are some PHD water supply stand posts but they are controlled by some water vendors of the town. “We do not get sufficient water and nobody listens to us. Nor does the municipality make any alternative arrangement,” said Anjali Deep, a local. Major areas facing the drinking water crisis are Bahadurbagichapada, Santinagarpada, Ramsagarpada, Arkabalipada, TV Centre pada, Rammandirpada and Mandarbagichapada. However, Municipality chairman Aditya Nanda said all arrangements have been made to improve drinking water supply in the town. “Water tanks are being built in six wards. The tank work will be completed in three months and those in higher altitude will get water,” he added. Similarly, water crisis is severe in Golamunda, a well-known neglected block in Kalahandi district. The rivers, nullas, ponds and well have dried up. About 1.5 lakh people, out of which at least 10,000 are Dalits and tribals, have no respite from the ordeal. The residents face problems not only of drinking water but also for bathing and washing clothes. “We are facing huge water shortage in our village. We have to buy water from vendors. Two tube-wells are here but they are not working,” Ashis Mishra, a resident of Brundabahal said. To add insult to injury, hundreds of inhabitants of Brundabahal village are suffering kidney diseases due to impure drinking water and severe heat wave.