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In
the year 2000, as a part of the Central Government's
demand –driven water sector reforms, 63 districts were
chosen on a pilot basis in India and Maharastra was
the first State to adopt this reform policy in the water
supply and sanitation sector. Rs 400 million were approved
for each district in Feb.,2000, 90 per cent funding from
the centre and 10 percent to be supplied by the State.
Nanded
is one of the selected four districts in Maharastra. Out
of 1,600 villages in Nanded , 550 villages prepared
a proposal but only 238 schemes were sanctioned at a cost
of Rs 350 million. In Nanded 100 percent of the water
projects are built by the villagers. Here, the first signs
of this paradigm shift - from centralised decision-making
to allowing village bodies to manage their water - are now
evident. A 30-foot high pink water tank that stands
in Pardi village in Nanded district's Loha taluka marks
the success of the project. It's a structure the villagers
are very proud of, much like their large well a short
distance away.
Pardi
village, one of the poorest in Nanded district, Maharastra
until two years ago, suffered from acute water shortage in
summers and often spread of diseases like jaundice,
malaria, cholera and gastroenteritis. The village had
seven hand pumps but only two worked and the water turned
yellow in summers, consequently giving a way to diseases.
Women had to walk up to 1.5 Km to fetch water, even at
night .With the persisting shortage of water in summers ,
people use to dig a hole at the bottom of the well to
scoop out water but the wells also use to get dried
up by January. The State government had
earlier spent billions in rural supply scheme but it had
not worked well so it took a policy decision to encourage
a community led and demand –driven programme for water
supply and sanitation in July 2000.
On
15 August ,2001 the Gram Sabha was followed by a meeting
and a Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC)
was set up. An estimate of Rs 25 lakh and decided
initially to collect Rs. 200 in two installments from each
of the 260 families. About Rs 115,000 was raised, and the
government provided a grant of Rs 10 lakhs. Those who
could not pay did shramdan (voluntary labor). As a
pattern, each village raises 10 percent of estimated
amount in cash and kind
Villagers
dug a new well and tested the water and repaired the
old Well. A 700-metre pipeline was built to collect and
store the water in the new 60,000 litre capacity
tank and this was connected to stand posts ( community
taps) at every lane through a three-km network of pipes.
There are 15 stand posts for public use and a few for
private use. Another new well is being dug, and four
bandharas (small dams) have been built on a nearby stream
to recharge the water coming in during the monsoons.
The
villagers had to pay Rs 15 per month for public
connections , Rs. 30 for private connections and
Rs 750 (each family) for the maintenance of the
water distribution system so the people were more
careful in usage as they pay. Initially there was little
resistance in paying as they felt that its Govt duty to
provide water but gradually they accepted that they must
pay for it too. The committee has opened a bank account as
mandated by the water project and they refused to
give work to a contractor, instead they hired a
person to look after operations, maintenance &
collection of water fees. With the availability of water,
villagers are working towards the 100 percent sanitation
and over 50 per cent houses have toilets.
Another
example where the pilot water project was completed in
2002 is taluka Kandhar, on a small hillock above
Sanguchiwadi,. People had to fetch water from the 75 metre
deep well which had steps going down and the village
was on the map for its gastroenteritis cases. Now here a
large water tank with a capacity of 50,000 litres nestles.
A new pipeline has been laid, connecting the old well to
18 stand posts in the village. Women here have taken
responsibility of collecting the monthly fees as the
waterman was not effective. Villagers claim that no Doctor
visits are needed .The village has now water testing
laboratory also.
This
Pilot project will end by March 2004.The 30 projects are
complete and some are in various stages of completion. The
Experience in Nanded and other districts – Dhule,
Raigad and Amravati- has translated into a world Bank
funded Jalswarajya project in 26 districts districts out
of the 33 districts in Maharastra.
Source:
Meena Menon, Geography And You, Vol. 4. No. 1& 2,
Jan-Feb 2004
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