The entire dalit settlement in the village dominated by the non-dalits is facing the problem of drinking water for years. [break]
The dalit families here are forced to walk for hours to fetch drinking water from a far away stream since they are barred from touching public water taps and water sources available in their locality.
"We are aware that stream water is not suitable for consuming, but we have no alternative to using polluted water since there is no one to realise our problems," complained one Parbati Bhul. They said the bodies concerned have not reached the dalit locality to listen to their woes.
Unavailability of water for dalits here has been a mockery of the preparations being made for announcing the village an ´open defecation-free zone´.
Though the construction of toilets is taking place with high pace, the Campaign is likely to be affected due to lack of water for the dalit people.
They said that their daily works have been affected as they have to spend hours in search of drinking water.
Supply of Melamchi drinking water begins in Bhaktapur from toda...