Guwahati, July 4 -- Residents of Ward No. 11 in Assam's Biswanath district still lack access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation facilities, despite living just a short distance from important government offices like the Deputy Commissioner's office and the Revenue Circle office.

Part of the Bishwanath Chariali municipality, Ward No. 11 shelters some of the district's poorest families who live without the basic amenities that urban local bodies are obligated to provide, according to news reports.

Locals stressed that the government's claim of supplying water under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) does not match their reality. "The taps run dry most of the year. Sometimes, we get water only once annually. We rely mainly on a pump w...