WITH the summer heat intensifying and groundwater levels plummeting, Kharora town is reeling under a severe water crisis that has left hundreds of residents struggling for survival. In several parts of the town, especially Wards 13, 14, and 15, water supply through municipal taps has come to a standstill for the past two weeks. What was once a routine task has now turned into a daily ordeal for many households. Women and children can be seen trudging long distances, balancing buckets and cans on their heads, in search of potable water. “We start queuing up as early as 4 in the morning. Sometimes the taps run dry even after hours of waiting. Tankers are irregular and unreliable,” said a woman of Ward 14. Local officials admit the situation is grim.

 

The Nagar Panchayat has said that the water table has dipped alarmingly, drying up tube wells across the town. “We are deploying tankers in affected areas, but the demand far exceeds our capacity,” an official said. If local residents are to be believed, the crisis has sparked widespread concern among residents, many of whom are demanding immediate intervention from authorities. Civic activists argue that lack of contingency planning and poor maintenance of water infrastructure have compounded the problem. As temperatures continue to soar, the question that looms large is how long the town can hold on without a sustainable solution. For now, KharoRa remains parched, and its people are left to chase water – one bucket at a time.