Drinking, washing, cooking,
say it for any purpose that’s the water they use.
Duruguda, is a small remote village in Rayagada district of Odisha state. Following story might be of Duruguda’s but there are many such places across the country where situation is similar to Duruguda village.
With about 100 people in this village with around 20-25 houses. This places looks beautiful surrounded by mountains, green patches around for people visiting there to see and enjoy the nature. But, what’s up with the people living there? They live there not knowing that electricity poles in their village can give power supply, water can be clear to drink, transportation can be beyond legs!
Women living in there, walk about 1.5 km everytime they have to fetch water. I had travelled all the way there to help my colleagues to install the solar water pump. Out of curiosity, instead of helping them I followed the women with empty vessels to see what they drink everyday, so that it will help me understand why solar pumps are needed there. After walking to a small pool like place, women started to wash their vessels. I was wondering why would they wash in a water like that. By the time I realised, one of the women walked little inside the water. She took a plate which is used for eating rice, placed a cloth on the vessel and started to fill the vessel with the plate. I was left whammy for a while seeing that. Realising what’s happening I asked one of the ladies whats that they are doing! She said filling water for use.
For my question to what they are going to use it for? She replied drinking and cooking.! With still in some confusion I asked where the water is coming from, for which she pointed to the finger up the hill. I followed the water stream towards up the hill to see how far it will be. I saw a buffalo sitting in the small flow and I was kind of speechless. Walking further I only noticed a kid washing his sacral parts. Wondering what I may see, I came back to the point to where women are about to leave with their vessels filled with water. It was evident in their faces about what I would have seen up there. They still accept that as they were left with no other source. I believe that was the last day they drank that!
What solves their sanitation problem?
This place is good with availability of under ground water. Their water table head is around 100-200 feet which is less than 100 meters. Due to crunch in the resources people there are unable to fetch the water which is right under where they live.
Duruguda, a small village with about 65 km from the town of Bissam Cuttack in Odisha. A population of about 100 people and 20 houses live in there in the picturesque village surrounded by mountains covered with carpet of greens. Happiness never comes alone. People going there might feel it’s a beautiful to live there is such a nature supported place but not for the one’s in the village.
With the help of Gram Vikas our team from Sunlit Future and EcoSoch solar could install the solar water pump in there. Before we could do all that, there’s a water tank built with water piping done to each of these houses. There were two taps fixed for each house. Each house got one tap in bathroom and one outside it. With govt providing about Rs. 12,000 toilets were built in each of these houses. With the whole contribution, people in duruguda not only got clean water but also could solve their sanitation problem. This impacted towards increasing girl child education, better health, decreased drudgery, decreased open defecation.
With more than 5 lakh villages in India how could such a solution help people across the country. It also decreases the budget of the govt towards the health and that could be diverted towards development of the infrastructure in solving sanitation problem of the nation. It helps improving the quality life of the villagers and increase economic status of the country. A survey reports that India is losing about 4 crore man hours of labour due to health related issues caused due to sanitation problem annually.
With India’s focus towards Swacch Bharat mission and similar programs, it could help eventually to solve some of the issues in it with solar water pump solution.!
Video explainer on how the Solar Water pumps help.
