Dunguripada, alittle village in Saipala Gram Panchayat of Nuapada district of Odisha, had just one tube-well fitted with hand-pump because the primary water source for drinking and other domestic purposes. The community was under the impression that tube-well water is safe for consumption. In 2013, WaterAid India along side local partner Regional Centre for Development Cooperation (RCDC) intervened into the district and conducted a baseline assessment. it had been found that tube-well contained fluoride of 5 parts per million, which is much beyond the permissible limit. within the small habitation of around 60 people, around 21 were already affected by skeletal fluorosis and rest showed clear symptoms of fluorosis. Unfortunately, the community was completely unaware of the explanations behind their physical abnormalities and never questioned their only existent water source.
WaterAid India and RCDC conducted a series of meetings with the villagers, informed them about the presence of fluoride in their water source and its ill effects and began exploring ways to assist the community get obviate their fluoride problem. the primary collective decision villagers took was to prevent using tube-well water and began using water from the nearby stream of Bhalubindha but the stream was seasonal and dried up soon after monsoon. As a result, villagers had to steer two kilometres distance a day for collecting water. The villagers also filed a memorandum for safe water system with the agricultural water system and Sanitation (RWS&S) department but decided to seem for an alternate water source rather than expecting government action.
During the course of intervention, it had been noticed that the contamination was confined to a particular aquifer. the opposite open wells touching the aquifer, popularly referred to as sub-surface water level , weren’t contaminated. With some guidance, villagers learnt that a sanitary well (dug-well fitted with hand-pump with due assessment and protection measures from sanitary point of view to avoid physical and bacteriological contamination) are often a secure source of water. However, it had been not a simple task to implement. Each household contributed manpower to dig the 18 feet deep well, break boulders and to construct the wall. They also contributed INR 11,150 to satisfy the value for sand, cement, transportation and therefore the mason. Even fluorosis affected people contributed in some form or the opposite . When material stocks fell short and there was no cash to spare for transportation expenses, women within the community volunteered to hold big boulders on their heads to finish the work. Despite being a backward tribal habitation, the community demonstrated excellent solidarity in addressing their water quality issues.
Community working with mason to make dug well structure
Finally, the well was constructed. After sanitising, the water was tested and located safe for consumption. Since May 2014, the community has not experienced scarcity within the village in terms of water for drinking and domestic purposes. The villagers also formed a user group and pay regularly for the operation and maintenance of the well. RCDC also helped develop capacity within the community on testing the water quality of the sanitary well on parameters like bacteria, fluoride, iron and total dissolved solids.
Now that the immediate goal to form provision for safe water has been met, the villagers decide to approach the govt to supply safe water through pipe water system system. “We now know that getting safe beverage is our right,” says Kailash Majhi, another fluorosis affected person in his mid-forties. the tiny tribal habitation of Dunguripada may be a great example of how communities can contribute to mitigate their water woes during a sustainable manner.
The reasons behind popularity of sanitary well as a secure water source are: (i) easy to put in , (ii) easy to work and maintain, (iii) cost effective, and (iv) are often done at community level. variety of villages within the district have already adopted the sanitary well concept to make sure safe beverage supply. Kadameri may be a village in Beltukuri Gram Panchayat of Nuapada that has constructed 16 sanitary wells. The model has been well appreciated by the govt . RWS&S has thus far constructed 45 sanitary wells across the district to combat fluoride issue.
The article is taken reference from wateraidindia
