Chhattisgarh's Chunchuna village gets clean drinking water for 1st time after Independence

NEW DELHI: Chunchuna village in the Kusmi development block of Balrampur district in Chhattisgarh has received access to clean drinking water for the first time since Independence.
The village, located on the border of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, had been grappling with water scarcity for years.

The village, with a population of about 100 houses, has long faced challenges in accessing clean drinking water due to its remote location.
Surrounded by forests and situated in an area heavily affected by Maoistactivity, it was difficult to dig borewells, and the lack of roads only compounded the problem. However, under the government’s Jal Jeevan Mission, the situation has drastically improved.
Pankaj Jain, the executive engineer of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department, explained the efforts that led to this achievement.
"There was a problem of drinking water here for a long time. The village is located in a remote area, where settlements covered with forests are located. The village is also quite far and is adjacent to the border area. We got work done here under the Jal Jeevan Mission. At present, a pure and adequate amount of water has been ensured to the people in Chunchuna village," he said.
He also highlighted future plans, saying, "In the coming time, we are doing source development work in the villages that have been left out. As soon as the source is constructed, people will get water twice a day."
The villagers have expressed immense relief now that they have consistent access to water.
One resident said, “Earlier, we had to bring water from far away places. Maoistinfluence was also present here. Bores could not be dug due to a lack of roads. Now the roads have been built, and water is being supplied to every house 24 hours a day.”
Another resident added, “Water had to be brought from far away. Now that the government has provided water, we have got a lot of relief."
This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve the lives of people living in rural and remote areas, especially those in regions previously affected by conflicts. With clean drinking water now reaching homes, the village's residents can look forward to a better quality of life.