Tribals In Kandhamal Lay Bamboo Pipelines So They Can Have Safe Drinking Water In Their Homes

Two hamlets of Kandhamal which are dominated by tribals have, for over 150 years, considered safe drinking water a valuable household item. Due to a lack of government intervention, they had to rely on the same drinking pit for various chores. Water could lead to feuds.

Finally, they decided enough was enough. They decided to take matters into their own hands. As per a report in The New Indian Express, they laid bamboo pipelines so water could be drawn into their homes.

The 500-metre-long pipeline was finished at Badimaha village under Sugadbadi gram panchayat in the Raikia block. Around 30 people took less than five days to make it with 60 bamboo pieces.

Express

¡°The water pumped out from the tube well, installed four years back, was muddy. It emitted a foul odour. So, we stopped drinking from it soon. We have been repeatedly pleading before the panchayat officials and BDO to resolve our problem, but none came to our help. Our women would either fetch water from the nullah or climb up the hill to fill vessels from the spring,¡± said Dayanidhi Pradhan, the village leader.

¡°We decided to use bamboo to ensure there was minimum expense burden on the poor villagers. However, the pipeline will require maintenance and replacement at regular intervals and this is not feasible in the long run. The district administration must ensure the village is supplied with piped water,¡± said Ashutosh Sahu, a local social worker.

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In the village of Niski, a similar pipeline was made.

¡°The women in this village had to walk more than a kilometre to fetch water from the spring. The village had no tubewell. We (the voluntary groups) decided to encourage the villagers for making the pipeline after an unfortunate incident took place. A woman, who had gone to fetch water from the spring during late evening, died of snake bite,¡± said Dinabandhu Maharana, a local activist.

It's best to get what you want to be done on your own rather than wait for others. The tribals have taken jugaad to a whole new level.