JAMSHEDPUR: Elected representatives from 13 panchayats of Bagbera on Tuesday sat on a fast for 25 hours to highlight the alleged indifference of the railwasy in issuing no objection certificate ( NOC ) for laying of drinking water pipelines of a project aided by World Bank The 25 representatives of the 13 panchayats organized sit-in at the deputy commissioner (DC's) office to mount pressure on the district administration to intervene into the matter and convince the railways to issue the NOC that would facilitate tap water connection in 4,000 households."Over 10,000 people live in 13 high-density slum dwellings under the panchayats' jurisdiction will be left out of tap water facility if the divisional railway remains adamant on its stand of not issuing NOC," said East Singhbhum zila parishad member Kishore Yadav, who is leading the agitation.He said Ramnagar, Shyamnagar, Babakuti, Bajrangtekri, Naya Basti, Sanjaynagar and Kitadih Basti are among the slum dwellings which will be covered by the World Bank-aided Bagbera drinking water project and the Govindpur drinking water project that are supposed to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 134 crore and Rs 138 crore.The drinking water and sanitation department, which is implementing the World Bank project, requires an NOC from the railways for laying the pipeline."The railway authorities have refused to give NOC twice on the ground that bastis in Bagbera colony are illegal," an executive engineer of of the department said.The engineer also said the matter can only be settled at the highest level. "But it is also true that 1.5 lakh people will be deprived of the tap water facility if the NOC is not issued at the earliest." When approached, no senior rail official at the divisional level agreed to comment on the issue. "Zonal authorities are authorized to speak on the subject," a senior divisional official said."We had taken up this matter with the district administration one year ago and subsequently with chief minister Raghubar Das. The CM had assured to resolve the issue but no progress has been made till date," Yadav said.Upon completion of the project, every household will receive 150 litre of water daily.

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