#22. Success Story of Water Supply Scheme Khera Block Dehlon District Ludhiana
Water is a basic necessity. Lack of assured availability of potable water adversely impacts households and local communities. In the absence of access to potable drinking water at home, families, especially women and young girls are forced to spend lots of time and energy every day in carrying water to their homes.
During scarcity even water through tanker has to be provided as emergency measure. To improve ‘ease of living’, people now expect tap water supply in their homes.
This scheme was originally approved under ARWSP program in the year 2007 @40 LPCD Level having 306 no of houses with the population of 1841 people.
Before the approval of this scheme the inhabitants of this village totally depend on hand pumps and submersible pumps with shallow depths having contaminated water.
Due to non availability of drinking water residents were facing routine trouble of collecting water from hand pumps as well as some common points in public places. The available water was not even fit for drinking purposes and causes lot of health issues to the residents of this village.
The residents of the village approach the department for potable water for their uses for drinking purposes. The IEC activities were regularly conducted by the department. The department also builds the capacity of people for use of potable drinking water on their own with the participation of the community.
The residents of the village passed a resolution demanding new water supply scheme, assured free of cost land for water works and also deposited due beneficiary share as per the guidelines of the World Bank.
The scheme was approved under PRWSSIP under component 2A vide L/N 851-54 Dt. 26-02-2016 for Rs. 5.68 Lacs for providing improved access for water through household connection.
The Scheme was commissioned during the year 2017 after installing no 340 of connection in 410 households. Each and every household has been covered with piped water supply in the village now and presently there are 378 no of FHTC and 32 no of self source and the village has been declared HGJ by the GPWSC and also hoisted on IMIS website. Due to regular water supply, inhabitants of this village get 378 FHTCs through piped water supply in their households.
The scheme has already been taken over by the GPWSC during the year 2009 and there are 378 FHTCs with piped water supply and 32 no own sourced out of 410 no of households now. The GPWSC has opened the O&M account and initially Rs.55 water bill per connection was being taken and the monthly revenue collection was Rs.19000. On that an IEC activity was conducted with the help of the department social staff and now there is taking Rs. 100 water bill per connection. 100% bill collection is being done using the IEC best tools for bill collection eg. Bill vouchers are used which are distributed door to door by the pump operator before deposit the bill. And then the fixed date of the month is announced and the correct amount of the bill is paid by looking at the voucher on that date at the water works by revenue collector . in present the monthly revenue collection is around Rs.28000
The monthly O&M cost of the scheme Rs.11200 including the remuneration of pump operator engaged by the GPWSC them self. The cost of O&M of the scheme is being borne from the revenue collector by the GPWSC and there is surplus amounting to Rs. 23700 With GPWSC at this
point of time. There is no illegal connection and tullu pumps in the village. For this, with the help of IEC tool, some new plans were made by the members of GPWSC. Eg. In case of non-payment of the bill by the beneficiary then given a notice by GPWSC, so that they can pay bill by that date.
The record keeping regarding revenue collection and expenditure is well maintained and transparency of the revenue collected is being verified through social auditing regularly during routine panchayat meetings conducted by the GPWSC.
For efficient O&M of the water supply scheme the Department along with GPWSC trained the pump operator already engaged by the GPWSC on regular basis.
For regular monitoring and surveillance of quality of water supply to the inhabitants of the village, the water is being tested for chemical contamination (yearly) and for biological contamination (half yearly) through District Laboratory Ludhiana (NABL) and for field testing FTK has been provided to GPWSC for
regular monitoring of water for chemical and biological testing. Even at grass root level 5 Women’s have been trained for testing of water from FTK and test reports are being hoisted on GoI IMIS website. The chlorination is being done regularly to mitigate any contamination through biological means.
The chlorination at water works and tail ends are being monitored through FTK by the GPWSC.
The GPWSC is cohesive and taking actively part for the sustainability of this scheme and the water is being supply daily @ 10 Hours with adequate pressure on regular basis with affordable cost of @ Rs 55/month.
For the satisfaction of the water supply service provided by the GPWSC the SNK toll free no 1800-180-2468 has been provided on the walls of the prominent places of the village and any complaint, if received through toll free no is also being monitored state level. For the resolution of the complaints the handholding are regularly provided to the GPWSC by the department JE being the technical member of the GPWSC committee.
The GPWSC is conducting regular meeting’s regarding the issues for the O&M of the water supply scheme in the village. The village has also compliant with the guidelines of JJM. As per the JJM guidelines each and every household has been provided piped water supply connection and this water supply scheme provides good quality of water in adequate quantity on regular basis with better management having overall health improvement in the village.
Inputs by: – Ms. Lovely Rani, CDS
Paani di Kahaani (ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ) 