FHTCs-Paving ways to happy life for Women Functional House Tap Connection (FHTC)

Madhya Pradesh Jal Nigam Maryadit

PIU-Shahdol

FHTC is paving ways to happy married life for women in village Pakri Tola

Indian women especially in rural areas, have an intimate, and lifelong connection with water. The ubiquitous image of women with pots balanced on their heads, trudging long distances to fetch water, is a depressingly-familiar one. Added to this the undergoing change in agriculture in India with more and more rural men migrating to bigger cities for work, leaving women, children and elderly behind to take care of the land and agriculture. This puts an extra burden on women who have their hands already full with household chores. The fear of fetching water in the heart of a girl is very well expressed in folk song translated here:-

?k.kh losjs lklw cksys ik.kh ysok tk js ik.kh

tku Egkjh fudyh tkos] ;kn vkos Egkjh

Ukkuh

dwMks rks ?k.kks xgj;;ks]

jLlh ik.kh rd eqf'dy ls igqWaps]

?kM+ks Hkjs vk/kks

?k.kh lcsjs tkÅ js ysok ik.kh

“kke <ys ?kj okil vkÅ

lklq Egkjh cksys ik.kh yk js ik.khA

-A folk song of Malva

Father worried for his daughter in marrying her in water scare village:-

We were surveying in the village the status of Functional House Tap

Connections (FHTC) in village Pakri Tola, Block Pushpraj garh,

district Annuppur, as we entered rains welcomed us. We took the

shelter in courtyard of a house. The head lady of the house called us

inside the house for proper shelter from rains. She was

Uma Chaudhary, a 24 year old lady, welcomed us happily saying

“Nal Waale Hai”, “Ji” we nodded. We noticed a water tap connection

inside her home and asked her 'Whether the water comes in this

tap'? She replied happily “Yes”. She continued “We are getting

sufficient water every day, and very happy that water comes at our

home otherwise we had to travel far, every day to get water for

drinking and other domestic purpose”.It was nice discussion with

Uma and we extended our discussion and told her that we wish to

have a meeting with group of women households. She readily

agreed and called 6-7 women from nearby houses for the meeting.

Now with the group, we started discussion about their village,

agriculture, education and drinking water status.

It was an interesting and participatory discussion about the status of water supply in the village. They stared the discussion form the year 2017-18. “We used to fetch water from a well 1-2 km away and down the hill from our house and we had to spend 2 to 3 hours per day. To make sure that water is available we have to start in early morning as there were chances of a rush to fill the water from the well, and we have to wait for our turn” Uma recalls. Uma continued “When my father came to see the groom for me in this village, he liked the boy and his family but when he came to know that there is no facility of water nearby house and water has to be fetched through head load from a well that is far away, initially he refused to my marriage in this village”.

Uma’s mother in law smiled in her support and added that as a mother of sons other families of the village had faced similar problems in marrying their sons as many parents refused to marry their daughters in this village as they have to go down the hill for 2 KM to bring water from well. Uma, again spearheaded the discussion and said that after your scheme my father is not worried now. The FHTCs paved the way for brides in the village

Uma Chaudhary Resident Pakritola Village, Anuppur District Just 2 pots of water was our life, thanks for freeing us from this drudgery:-

Encouraged from the participatory discussions, Kamla Bai, an

elderly ladymade her presence felt as a guardian of the village

“Thanks to the Jal Nigam Project!!! Now we have water Tap

connection at our house. We now get sufficient water every day”.

Collecting 2 pots of water was our life and a challenge recalled

Kamala Bai. Many families of village were dependent on just one

open well for water. In summer season, when water level used to

go down then quality of water also worsen in its colour and taste.

We used to suffer from stomach-related ailments. During that time

we have to fetch drinking water from nearby “nala” and even

sometimes we had to travel 3 to 4 KMs to “Pushprajgarh” for

collection of water.Male members of the household had to go out

to fetch water from Pushprajgarh and take on cycle, which many

times delayed them from going to work. She also told us proudly

that she is contributing Rs.60 per month as water tariff charges to

VWSC regularly.

Kamla Bai (Resident Pakritola

Village, Anuppur District)

FHTC at the doorstep minimised challenges of pregnancy:-

Another lady raised her voice on the occasion was Kiran,

Sheshared that before this tap connection she had to bring water

from well and during summer season when the well dried with

another women she also had to walk 1-2 km and collect drinking

water from Nala . “This task was very much worrying all of us

whenever we used to remind of summer season. It used to take lot

of time and we used to fallen sick more often because of physical

tiredness” Kiran recalls. Today Kiran, at full term stage of her first

pregnancy is very happy. “Thanks to Jal Nigam for Tap Water

Supply in our village and now we have water at our doorstep

every day. I get nervous while thinking tha ‘if there is no tap

connection in my home then how I would have brought water Kiran Choudhary

from the well in this situation. Resident Pakritola Village,Anuppur District

Pakri Tola Village Water Sub Committee (VWSC) at a Glance No.of Members: 12(6 Women, 6 Man Name of Chairman:Mr.Amrit Lal Name of secretary: Munnelal No. of Customer: 154 Households (APL-24, BPL-130) Collected as Connection charges and

security amount – Rs.25000 VWSC collected Water tariff amount

till date – Monthly water Tariff: 60 Rs./ month Till now VWSC of Pakri tola paid

rupees 61000 to MPJNM as water tariff .

For the solution of water scarcity and to provide a

sustainable source of drinking water MP Jal Nigam

commissioning multi village rural water supply

schemes these were based on surface water source.

Kirgi Multi Village Rural Water Supply scheme is one

of them that are implemented in Pushprajgarh Block

of Anuppur District that covered 36 villages Block.

This MVS is providing treated drinking water for

approximate population of 45218 through tap water

connections.

Pakri Tola, Gram Panchayat Harra Tola is one of

village of Scheme where drinking water supplied

from House Service Connections (HSC). Village have

154 houses that belong to ST/SC and OBC. Main

source of drinking water to the villagers were 2

open wells and 4 hand pumps those were based on

ground water, but in summer season water scarcity

used to become a major problem for villagers as

ground water level goes down and many sources get

dried up.

“Water is the source of happiness, energy, health and piety, and is life giving as mother”

(JJM-Guidelines)

-------00-------