#21. Community partaking towards 24*7 water supply
On the Mehta road Batala, there is a small backward village named Pejochak in the block Sri Hargobindpur. There are 251 households in the village. The residents had no access to running water and relied on hand pumps. The villages were having problems with water supplies, and especially ladies were having a difficult time waiting for adequate water. Gram Panchayat agreed to the scheme and collected a beneficiary share of Rs. 126000/- and contributed to the scheme. The social and technical staff of DWSS interacted with Gram Panchayat and explained in detail the various features of the water supply scheme, such as the construction of OHSR, laying of pipeline, details of tap connections, and so on. The project began in the community and was completed in 2014 with a World Bank component worth 49 lakhs.
A Gram Panchayat Water Sanitation Committee with 11 members was created. The Gram Panchayat and the community as a whole participate actively in the GPWSC, which strengthens it. The scheme’s management and operation are the responsibility of the community, particularly GPWSC members. Consumers helped GPWSC by paying their water bills on time, while village women helped by not wasting water and installing 100% taps. GPWSC has saved Rs.72000/- in the Operation & Maintenance account because of community engagement and assistance. The scheme’s management and operation are the responsibility of the community, particularly GPWSC members. Consumers helped GPWSC by paying their water bills on time, while village women helped by not wasting water and installing 100% taps. The community reacted positively to the plan, saying they were pleased with it and willing to work with the community’s decisions.
Paani di Kahaani (ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ) 