Power, water supply cut in Balangir village spurs casteism cry

Balangir: Residents of a Dalit settlement have alleged caste-based discrimination by some sections of the village who have deliberately cut off their access to water and electricity, forcing them to struggle for basic amenities.

The incident has been reported from Dumerchuan village under Turekela block in Balangir district.


Local residents reported that supply of piped drinking water to their area was interrupted five days ago. Moreover, the streetlights in the locality were turned off, plunging the neighbourhood into darkness after sunset, thereby inconveniencing families residing there.

A resident shared, “Houses in other parts of the village continue to receive water and electricity but we are being deprived. When we tried to draw water from the borewell, we were stopped. While commuting on village roads, we are treated as untouchables by members of other communities.”

Men and women from the affected community alleged that they were being targeted due to their caste. They face discrimination in every social and cultural event of the village. They alleged that despite bringing the issue to the notice of local officials multiple times, no corrective step was taken.

But Padamanava Samantaray denied any such discrimination on basis of caste. He said an inquiry has been ordered into the issue and the block development officer was directed to investigate it at the ground-level.

“Preliminary probe suggested that a few days ago, there was a feud between two groups of the village during a baarat procession. One group deliberately disrupted the water supply and electricity out of revenge,” said Samantaray.

The BDO, Turekela will submit the report on Tuesday, added Samantaray.