As soon as the monsoon ends, water scarcity begins in the vast areas in Balurghat block's Chingishpur gram panchayat along the Bangladesh border. In this situation, water ATMs have been installed to provide pure drinking water at a low cost. Here, just ₹2 can get you one litre of filtered drinking water. The Chingishpur gram panchayat authorities have claimed this is the first time such a water dispensing machine has been installed in the district. On one hand, local people are getting pure drinking water at low cost, while on the other hand, the panchayat's own fund is increasing.
A maximum of 20 litres of water can be collected from the machine at once. While buying a water drum (20 litres) costs ₹30-35, here 20 litres of water is available for just ₹10. This water ATM was installed about two years ago, spending ₹2,44,883.
Also Read | Nirala hot spring centre still locked despite modernisation, tourists question delay
Local resident Subhash Mahato said, "Earlier, we used to buy and drink drum water. It costs about ₹40 for one drum of water. Now we get 20 litres of water for ₹10 from the panchayat's water ATM machine." Chingishpur gram panchayat chief Ranjan Mahato said, "This water ATM machine has been installed for the convenience of common people. We get at least ₹10-15 thousand annually from the machine."
