#9. Community contribution: A vital necessity
Water, an endowment for all life forms from their respective future generations is a crucial part for the sustenance of the sapiens. This endowment needs to be conserved from anthropogenic contamination and saved via judicious and mindful use. This conservation and protection of this non-renewable resource is to be accomplished with public participation, good governance and political will.
Khanpur Thiada, a small village in district Hoshiarpur with a population of 1022 where currently water connection is supplied to 235 households. The employment rate in the village lies majorly in agriculture with a satisfactory literacy rate to influence the regular payments of bills to sustain the scheme. Eventually the village has been earmarked as one of the prosperous villages where all the houses are pucca with effective installation of water works. Presently, the GPWSC of the village conducts regular meetings and directs people on regular payment of bills, judicious use of water and water conservation. Initially, door to door campaigns were conducted for awareness generation. If the GPWSC notices any misuse of water, the committee conducts awareness campaigns.
Khanpur did not have any water works to begin with. People used to use water from the tap for drinking as well as other daily activities. This water was neither safe nor adequate to meet the requirements. The water had lot of chemical contaminants causing severe ailments for the villagers. Providing safe water to our village had become a great challenge. In the year 2010, Khanpur Thiada made its water works by the financial aid of World Bank. GPWSC through their hard work and by awareness generation among the public collected beneficiary share of Rs. 800/- from the General category and Rs.400/-from the poor and SC category. The total cost of the construction was Rs. 28,75,000/-.
The contemporary developments done by the village was constructing a beautiful and attractive park with the savings from the expenditure account. This park was decorated with grass and other ornamental plants. The villagers come to the park for walks in the evenings. The O&M of the park is by the savings of the account. This is an attraction even for the youth in the village. Currently, this scheme has a surplus fund of Rs.25,000/- in the O&M account after the payment of electricity bills, the salary of the pump operator, maintenance and other recurring costs. The water works established in the village has also played a pivotal role to curb the out-migration.
This was possible with the help of the CDS, IEC Specialists and the BRCs of the DWSS Social team who conducted various activities to create awareness and motivate people on various issues along with the GPWSC members. They also motivated the GPWSC members for new connections and guided the members to maintain book of accounts/records. This gave the scheme new wings and the village is reaping the benefits of the scheme.
As the success factor of the scheme, the Punjab government recognized the GPWSC as the best one and gave a prize money of Rs. 50,000 for the efficient working of the committee.
Paani di Kahaani (ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ) 