‘Water tank couldn’t withstand pressure of corruption’, bursts a day after testing; video goes viral

Mahoba (The Uttam Hindu): Serious questions have once again been raised about the quality of construction work being carried out under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh. A water tank built in Nagara Dang village of Jaitpur development block burst just 24 hours after testing. Unable to withstand the water pressure, the tank leaked heavily, exposing shoddy construction and possible corruption. This incident has put departmental procedures under scrutiny, and discussions about the scheme's transparency have intensified throughout the area.

The new tank could not even withstand normal water pressure.

This water tank was constructed in the village of Nagara Dang in 2025 to provide pure drinking water to villagers at their doorsteps. After completion, on February 13th, when the tank was first filled with water through a pipeline for testing, it could not withstand the pressure. The very next day, the tank began leaking heavily. Villagers directly allege that the construction standards were completely ignored and that extremely poor-quality materials were used in pursuit of commissions.

The ground reality emerged amid the MLA's displeasure and the minister's ultimatum.

This incident has surfaced at a time when local concerns about the Jal Jeevan Mission are already simmering. It's worth noting that on January 30th, a legislator directly confronted the Jal Shakti Minister over alleged corruption within the mission. Following this, the Minister took a firm stance and issued strict instructions to ensure water is delivered to all villages within 30 days under the Namami Gange scheme. However, the bursting of this new tank has called into question the ground reality of all these claims and instructions.

Akhilesh Yadav targeted the government and asked, 'Who is responsible?'

This incident has now become a political controversy. Samajwadi Party chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has taken to social media to criticize the government's functioning. He wrote that even a water tank could not bear the burden of corruption. Akhilesh has sharply questioned the state government: who is responsible for such negligence in these crucial projects worth crores of rupees? Will there be an impartial investigation into this entire matter and will strict action be taken against the culprits?