JABALPUR’S Ranjhi area is facing one of its worst water crises in recent years as the water level in Pariyat Reservoir continues to fall sharply, disrupting regular supply to thousands of households. The situation has become so severe that residents in several localities are spending hours waiting for water tankers, while many families are unable to secure enough water even for daily needs. Pariyat Reservoir, which supplies water to more than a dozen overhead tanks catering to Ranjhi and adjoining areas has witnessed a significant decline in water storage. The shortage has directly affected localities such as Ranjhi, Gokulpur, Bilpura, Maanegaon and Madai, where residents alleged irregular or negligible water supply. The Jabalpur Municipal Corporation administration claims that around 50 tankers are being deployed and nearly 200 trips are being made daily to supply drinking water in affected areas. However, residents alleged that tanker supply remains inadequate and many localities are either receiving insufficient water or no tanker service at all.

 

Long queues of women, children and elderly residents carrying buckets and containers have become a common sight across the area. In several localities, people said water pressure has dropped drastically due to excessive extraction through pumps, leaving many households without supply. Residents complain that even after waiting from morning till evening, they often manage to collect only one or two buckets of water. The shortage has also triggered disputes at tanker distribution points as desperate families compete for limited supplies. The crisis has sparked protests by local residents and politicalleaders, who have demanded immediate measures to ensure equitable water distribution. With monsoon rains yet to provide substantial relief, concern is growing that the situation could worsen in the coming weeks. For thousands of residents in Ranjhi, the drying up of Pariyat Reservoir is no longer just a civic issue. It has become a daily struggle for survival, underlining the urgent need for sustainable water management and contingency planning.