Water ATM at Pratapgarh tehsil lies defunct, leaving advocates and litigants parched

A water ATM installed at the Patti tehsil premises in Pratapgarh to provide clean drinking water to advocates and litigants has been lying non-functional for a long time, turning what was meant to be a public facility into little more than a showpiece. The machine, intended to dispense pure and cold drinking water, has now become defunct, raising serious questions about the working style of the officials responsible for its operation and maintenance.

The water ATM was reportedly installed by Pratapgarh Member of Parliament SP Singh Patel for the convenience of advocates and litigants visiting the tehsil compound. Its objective was to provide clean, pure and cold drinking water to people coming to the tehsil premises. When the machine was first installed, people had hoped that they would no longer have to struggle to find drinking water during the hot summer months, but allegations suggest that it could never be operated properly right from the beginning.

Every day a large number of advocates, litigants and common people visit the Patti tehsil in connection with their work. The need for drinking water increases even more during the summer season. In such circumstances, the prolonged closure of the machine installed for public convenience has been causing inconvenience to people. Local residents say that if the water ATM is not being used at all, then the very purpose of installing it has remained unfulfilled.

People have demanded that concerned officials conduct a technical inspection of the machine, get the defects repaired and ensure that the water ATM is made operational at the earliest. Meanwhile, the water ATM lying defunct for an extended period has also raised questions about the tehsil administration's monitoring and maintenance system.

Local people point out that ensuring regular maintenance and operation of equipment installed in public interest should be the priority of the responsible department, so that government resources can actually reach the common public. The idle water ATM now stands as a reminder of poor administrative accountability and the gap between intent and implementation in public welfare schemes.