The water scenario in rural India
India’s development and self-reliance is dependent upon water security. At present, India ranks 2 in water consumption and 132 in water availability per capita. Although rural India comprises 66 percent of the country’s population, it accounts for approximately 80 percent of the nation’s total water usage, for agricultural purposes.
The water availability in any region is dependent on natural factors like rainfall, river systems, hydro- meteorological and geological conditions, however, water availability per person is dependent on the population of a country. The per capita water availability in India is reducing due to the ever-growing population, salinization of groundwater, water pollution, unsustainable water uses and impact of climate change. Climate change leads to extreme weather events, disrupting water cycles. For long-term water security reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial. This formidable climate change crisis as essentially a water crisis, as is also recognized by the UN. Besides, the economy of an agrarian country like India, is directly affected by water due to its impact on agricultural productivity and its long-term viability. Currently, the utilization of India’s 142 million hectares 3 arable land, which is the largest in the world, is getting limited due to the lack of water.
One of the greatest national challenges is to provide adequate water particularly for the 117 million small and marginal farm holders, who account for 80% of the farming population.
The water insufficiency for them also includes the reduced availability of domestic water. Rainfed agriculture occupies about 51% of country’s net sown nearly 40% of the total food area and accounts for production.
According to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), about 60% of the rural domestic water supply and 90% of the rural irrigation water supply are met by groundwater. However, groundwater levels are declining in many parts of the country, due to overuse and low recharge.
The 2011 census of India informs that the average availability of water per person per day in rural areas is 40 liters, which is already below the minimum standard of 55 liters recommended by the World Health Organization.
The worst hit by the water crisis are the women and girls, as they bear the physical burden of making multiple trips in a day carrying heavy loads of water for their families, which is detrimental to their health and well-being. As per the Global Gender Gap Index 2020 by World Economic Forum, India slipped from 110 in 2006 to 145 in 2020 in female participation in the workforce. The International Development Enterprises (IDE) estimated that Indian women spend 150 million workdays every year fetching water, equivalent to a national loss of income of 10 billion. Therefore, the impact is not just on the rural women but also on the rural and national economy.
Government agencies and other stakeholders: Dedicated for directly or indirectly empowering villages, on water security
There is national agreement that community-led and community-based water management at village level is to be promoted, for successful water management. However rural water management is often fragmented and uncoordinated, involving multiple actors and institutions.
The decentralization of Government agencies – the primary funder
According to the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution the primary responsibility of water management lies with the State Governments. This provides an opportunity for the State Governments to innovate and experiment with different approaches and models of water governance, which can suit their specific needs and contexts. The role of the Central Government on the topic of ‘Water’ in villages of India is to provide partial funding and guidance to the State Governments, while respecting their autonomy and diversity. Besides, the Central Government plays a vital role in setting the national vision and goals for water security and sustainability, and aligning them with the global commitments and frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
A balance between the autonomy and cooperation of the different levels of government is required. The network of government agencies, all whose aim is addressing the last mile availability of water to the individual in a village, are the following (i) central Government’s Ministry of Jal Shakti coordinates with other ministries such as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the Ministry of Rural Development, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on issues related to water management (ii) the State Governments have departments and agencies for rural water management, such as the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), the Water Resources Department, the Irrigation Department, the Groundwater Department, and the State Water Resources Agency, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Department and Jal Nigams (iii) the district and block administrations have their own officials and staff for rural water management, such as of the District Water and Sanitation Mission, the District Collector, the District Development Officer, the Block Development Officer, and the Junior Engineers. (iv) the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) also have their own committees and functionaries for rural water management, such as the Gram Panchayat, the Gram Sabha, the Pani Samiti, the Sarpanch, and the Panchayat Secretary.
Other stakeholders
The other stakeholders assisting the village communities directly or indirectly are (i) civil Society organizations (CSOs) who may implement water-related activities in rural areas using Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds or funds from international development organizations. CSR is a legal obligation for certain companies under the Companies Act, 2013. Section 135 of the Act has made it mandatory for companies having specified criteria to contribute at least 2% of their average net profit for development initiatives. Also, businesses who are major consumers and or polluters of water resources, may implement projects on water management in villages (ii) international donor agencies supplement the efforts of the government and other stakeholders by bringing financial and technical assistance, supporting capacity building of local institutions and communities, facilitating coordination and collaboration between related agencies, promoting good governance and accountability, as well as may act as advocates for policy changes in the water sector (iii) philanthropies contribute significantly to rural water management in India by funding projects, building capacity, supporting research, raising awareness, and fostering collaborations to ensure sustainable water access for rural communities (iv) the academic and research institutions, such as universities, think tanks, and laboratories, who generate and disseminate scientific and evidence based knowledge and information on water resources and issues, and provide policy advice and solutions for water management and governance. They can also train and educate the water professionals and leaders of the future (v) the media and communication platforms, such as newspapers, television, radio, and social media, who can raise awareness and educate the public about the importance and challenges on water resources, as well as highlight the best practices and success stories of water management and governance. They can also facilitate dialogue and debate among the various stakeholders and amplify the voices and perspectives of the marginalized and vulnerable groups.
Stakeholder collaboration unleashes synergies
The themes covered under water management are – enhancing the water availability, quality, and equitable accessibility, reducing wastage, demand, consumption, and pollution. To address these topics, there is a need for convergence and synergies between the different stakeholders involved. This refers to the alignment of goals, strategies, policies, and actions of different actors to achieve common outcomes and maximize the benefits of their interventions.
However, the different stakeholders often have different mandates, interests, and capacities. This leads to inefficiencies, duplications, wastage, and conflicts. Thus, there is an urgent need for integrated, holistic, and participatory approaches to rural water management that can address its inter-related challenges. In addition, the various stakeholders contribute to innovation and scaling up the technologies, practices, and models on water security and improvement of livelihoods of the rural communities. Convergence also ensures better delivery of services, accountability, transparency, and responsiveness of the water services.
Why local water management is a necessity
Many villages in India are not provided with water from rivers or other surface sources. These habitations depend on groundwater, which may be contaminated or scarce, or the women must fetch water from distant places. In the case of villages that are provided with water from rivers, also, water harvesting, and conservation is needed as this water may not be sufficient to meet the growing water demand of the village, especially during the dry season or droughts, when the river flow may decrease or stop completely.
Therefore, it is imperative for most of the villages to manage their water, locally.
For this, most of the villages depend on rainfall of only about 100 days on average for providing them with water throughout the year, for all their domestic and agriculture purposes.
Water budgeting: Water Security begins with Water Responsibility
Prior to implementing water management initiatives, it is recommended that a water budgeting exercise is conducted in a village for informed decision-making, which integrates the technical, social, economic, environmental, and institutional aspects of water management. An outcome of water budgeting is the community driving a positive water balance to ensure sustenance in the long run. This crucial planning process by the whole community, aims to (i) balance the competing demands of different water users and sectors, while ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of water resources (ii) prioritize interventions and allocate resources for them (iii) equitable distribution of water for all sections of the society including landless families (iv) garner agreement on the monitoring methodology (v) resolve challenges including those arising from the vested interests of dominant members of society (vi) utilize government programs.
The themes which are typically covered during water budgeting are on – the community’s vision of a progressive village, water conservation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, choice of crops to be grown, climate resilience which includes factoring in the irregular rainfall, sustainable use of water resources preventing overexploitation, reserving separate water sources for drinking, irrigation and other uses, and creating water stewardship and responsibility among the water users.
Water budgeting requires simple, reliable, and transparent methods to estimate, analyse, monitor and communicate data. Therefore, best results may accrue when this process is initially facilitated by experts like CSOs or other mentors, this is so also because sometimes it is seen that community members do not respect each other’s views initially and are more receptive to external agencies, indicating the truism of the proverb – ‘familiarity breeds contempt’. CSO’s can play roles in (i) community mobilization to generate motivation for water budgeting in the village (ii) use Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools to assist in this process and its outcomes. PRA includes mapping, transect walks, ranking, scoring, or matrix analysis, which can enable the people to share their knowledge, opinions, and preferences about the water situation and the possible solutions. PRA tools can also help in building trust, rapport, and consensus among the community members and with the external facilitators (iii) provide information on the various possibilities of accessing government facilities (iv) ensure the participation of women and marginalized sections (v) address affordability and water related risks (vi) provide information about the potential of different technical interventions which can be adopted by the people (vii) build capacities. Even though the principles upon which water budgeting stands are widely accepted in the country which are – ‘Jal Swaraj’ or ‘Water Self Governance’, ‘Water as a common property resource’, ‘Water as a human right’, ‘Every Drop Counts’, ‘Every Source Matters’, ‘Water is an asset and not a liability’, ‘Participatory Water Governance’, ‘Try to, Catch every drop, where it falls’. Still there are inadequacies in (i) supportive policies and regulations to enable and enforce its actions and outcomes (ii) sustained funding, and (iii) capacity building for this.
Enhancing the community’s understanding on Aquifers
Aquifers are underground layers of permeable rock or soil that store water as well as allow it to flow through. There are two types of aquifers, surface and deep. Surface aquifers are shallow and typically less than 30 meters below the ground surface. They can be quickly replenished by the monsoon rains through structures like check dams or percolation tanks. These aquifers can be tapped by hand pumps or dug wells.
Deep aquifers are usually more than 100 meters below the ground surface and have been created by ancient or distant sources of water. The quality of water in deep aquifers depends on various factors, such as the geology and hydrology in the area. In some cases, deep aquifers may have good quality water that is free from toxic chemicals. However, in other cases, deep aquifers may have water that is contaminated by high levels of natural anthropogenic pollutants. Deep aquifers are accessed by bore wells which have an average depth of 150 meters (50-300 meters). A bore well sucks out the water from deep aquifers at one go, which had taken a long time to accumulate, and as per a World Bank report it is typically abandoned in a period of about 6 years. Additionally, borewells create inequalities in society since only the well off and powerful people can afford to construct and maintain them, and through which only they can access most of the water from this limited and precious source.
Thus, it is important for the community at large to put a stop to the indiscriminate construction of borewells in their village for their overall benefit since those deep aquifers which have good quality water need to be protected both for themselves and for future generations. This water needs to be thought of as sustainable storage buffers of water to be used by the village only during critical situations, and not for routine requirements in regular times. It is only the shallow aquifers which need to be most efficiently filled during monsoons so that they can be the source of water throughout the year.
A joint community decision needs to be taken regarding which supply points of the shallow groundwater sources would be used by the whole community in specific months and seasons.
Water conservation structures
The effort needs to consider the entire village as single water management unit, for multi-faceted action. Developing naturally occurring hydrological units or watersheds is the ideal strategy. This is a holistic approach of enhancing the lives of the villagers around water and includes creating water security, reducing soil erosion, improving soil moisture, supporting crop production and livelihood diversification. Water follows no political boundary and flows from higher to lower levels of any given area/terrain. A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. However, establishing a watershed may sometimes be challenging as it may involve a cluster of villages, who may not cooperate with each other. In this case, regarding a single village as a mini watershed is an option.
Considering the entire village as a water management unit can be successful, but it also has its hurdles. In general, there is a natural incentive for collective action in water conservation as the villagers often share common sources of water, like wells or ponds, and have strong social ties. However, the existence of internal diversity within the community also needs to be recognized, which may lead to conflicts and unequal outcomes of water related initiatives.
There are several classifications pertaining to water management, a current one which is also recognized is by the United Nations, constitutes of dividing water into three groups, which are (i) blue water that is available in aquifers, tanks, reservoirs and rivers (ii) green water which is present in soil and is used by plants or evaporates (iii) grey water is the wastewater generated by domestic and other human activities. The above classification can also be further separated into categories of water management structures – in situ, ex situ, or both. In situ structures are those which increase the water availability within the natural drainage system of the land, ex situ structures are those that are built outside it.
A diverse range of structures and techniques exist for water harvesting in rural India, which depend on the geographical and climatic variations in the country. These methods include ones that have traditionally developed over time, and are best suited to various local environments, provided they have remained relevant amidst regional changes.
The structures depend on considerations like, whether (i) the soil is permeable or not permeable (ii) the bedrock is permeable, impermeable, or partially permeable, and (iii) the extent of slope in the topography. While many of the structures augment water for the entire community, some need to be implemented by individual farmers and households. In general, the two simple but reliable methods to decide the kind of water conservation structures to be built are through (i) determining the slope of the landscape using just the auto level, and levelling staff/rod and a few more simple accessories (ii) discussion with the villagers on their observations regarding the direction of the flow of rainwater run offs.
Since many regions have unique scenarios, they require customized approaches. Two extreme geological situations and the strategies to be adopted in their cases are discussed below. However, it should be noted that most areas have a mix of such possibilities, and so require a hybrid approach.
Where the soil and bedrock are permeable, and there is a terrain
Where the soil and bedrock are permeable many rainwater harvesting structures can be constructed to recharge the shallow aquifers, such as – check dams, percolation tanks, concrete nallah bunds, earthen bunds, ponds, recharge trenches, contour trenches and bunds, and loose stone gabion structures. These structures are constructed across slopes to slow down the flow of runoff water from rainfall, allowing it to percolate into the soil. In addition, planting trees around the water harvesting structures further helps in not only percolating the water but also minimizing the soil erosion and strengthening of earthen structures as its roots hold the soil together.
Recharge wells should be built on drainage line where the rainwater collects and in runoff drains near open wells or borewells, as they directly recharge the aquifers.
Where the bedrock and soil are impermeable and there is no terrain
No land is totally flat, and there are always undulations. When the soil and underground rocks are mostly impermeable, the primary water harvesting option is surface storage in many tanks and ponds. These can be constructed in natural depressions or by making them and surrounding these by earthen embankments. This water may be used directly by people for domestic purposes, livestock, and irrigation with the help of water channels. For drinking, the households in such villages where no alternative sources of water are available, relying on rooftop rainwater harvesting and tankers would be the only alternative.
Ponds, an integral part of village ecosystem
Ponds contribute to various aspects of village life like (i) they provide good quality water in salinity affected areas (ii) supplement irrigation to the standing crops during the critical growth stage (iii) domestic use (iv) groundwater recharge, and (v) for animal husbandry, which is an important source of income in rural areas and fosters sustainable development (vi) maintaining local ecology supporting flora and fauna. Thus, water bodies like ponds, lakes and tanks should either be constructed or rejuvenated through cleaning and desilting as well as be upgraded. Ideal ponds should have the following features – (i) suitable catchment area contributing sufficient runoff (ii) sufficient water storage volume to cater to the local people’s requirements (iii) a filtering chamber (or planting perennial grasses) to remove silt before the rainwater runoff enters the pond. A pre filter chamber removes plastic, insoluble items, and other solid waste material. From here, the water enters the filtration tank system, where the finer silt gets collected and the clear water enters the pond. This filtration system needs to be cleaned regularly (iv) outlets for overflow of excess water (v) cattle ramps for animals (vi) tree guards to stabilize the embankments (vii) steps on side slope to reach the water (viii) platform to wash clothes with a tin shed for shade.
Household structures
Rooftop rainwater harvesting is an ex-situ, blue water collecting system, which holds significant potential for improving water security in Indian villages and promotes water conservation in the community. This is because even a small roof of 100 square meters can yield about 80,000 litres of water, with an average rainfall of 800 mm. This technology is particularly useful as it reduces the dependence of families on external sources for water and this stored rainwater is of better quality and available round the clock. Both flat and sloped roofs are suitable for rooftop rainwater harvesting and the water collected can be stored in tanks, barrels, or underground sumps, and can be used for domestic purposes over a long time. Though it is a simple and relatively inexpensive technology with easily available materials, the rooftop rainwater harvesting setup needs seasonal cleaning and maintenance to ensure water quality. Thus, a training is required to be imparted to households, for its implementation and maintenance.
Since each roof type has its pros and cons, a combination approach is usually the most suitable approach. Rooftop rainwater harvesting in village schools is a highly successful initiative as the stored water provides water for drinking and use in the toilet blocks, for the entire academic year of 10 months together, instead of individual households.
Grey water management
According to the last Census of India 2011, about 74.8% of rural households in India do not have a drainage facility for domestic wastewater or they rely on open drains. 10.3% have a closed drainage system. 14.9% use other methods for disposing of wastewater, such as soak pits, septic tanks, or community facilities.
Thus, it is common for this exposed, stagnant grey water to be a nuisance on the roads, create a stench and be a breeding ground for disease-carrying organisms like mosquitoes and flies. To address this, context-specific solutions need to be promoted, which may be decentralized greywater management methods and small scale community treatment systems.
Soak pits are effective for domestic waste water management, in Indian villages. They are simple to construct and low cost. Soak pits are underground chambers that allow wastewater to slowly percolate into the ground. However, certain precautions need to be taken so that they do not contaminate groundwater sources. Also, they are not suitable in areas with clayey soil or rocky strata which have low permeability and water holding capacity or high– water table conditions. According to Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), about 49% of the total geographical area in India is covered by clayey or rocky soils. For these areas, options other than soak pits need to be used. Soak wells work on the same principle as the soak pit, but cater to several neighboring households together, instead of individual households.
The key to the sustainability of these structures, in terms of preventing clogging and overflow, is the regular cleaning of the silt trap/filtering chamber, located at the wastewater inlet of soak pit or soak well. Filtering chamber filters out solid particles and organic matter from the grey water.
Water in agriculture
The biggest utilization of water is in agriculture, where the conservation of green water in situ involves (i) efficient use of water, and (ii) improving soil health, which enhances water retention capacity that reduces irrigation needs. Soil health is improved by reducing soil erosion, increasing its nutrient content including micronutrients and organic carbon, stopping the use of excessive non judicious amounts of agricultural chemicals which necessitates more irrigation, which can be a concern in water scarce regions, particularly when considered cumulatively, minimizing tillage and through practicing crop rotation and intercropping.
The techniques for water management in agriculture include (i) micro irrigation through sprinklers and drip. Need based irrigation scheduling can save 35 –40% of freshwater and 20 –25 percent reduction in fertilizer use (ii) mulching (iii) farm bunding (iv) farm ponds. Often farmers do not want to lose their agricultural land by making farm ponds and they need to be enrolled for this, as it can provide them with protective irrigation in kharif and sometimes additional irrigation in rabi as well. Even though several types of farm ponds are in use based on the local factors, however typically in the case of small farmers in water stressed regions 15x15x3 meters or 12x12x3 meters farm ponds are constructed based on the farmer’s land holding and choice, where tarpaulin of 350+GSM is used. In the case of clayey soil, there is no requirement of a lining. (v) laser leveling (vi) furrow based irrigation that delivers water directly to the plant roots minimizing wastage (vii) reducing the cultivation of water guzzling crops (viii) utilize renewable energy sources, such as solar power, for micro-irrigation and water pumps to reduce the water footprint (ix) crop diversification, which refers to the practice of growing a variety of crops instead of just one or two. This practice improves the soil structure enhancing water retention, due to which less irrigation is required as well as there is a reduced need for water intensive pesticide applications.
The most effective approach involves a combination of the above-mentioned techniques.
Two challenges need to be addressed for water conservation in agriculture (i) particularly small holding farmers, may have financial constraints to adopt some of the techniques which necessitates government support, micro–loans, or community based solutions where farmers pool resources or share equipment (ii) lack of technical knowledge requires capacity building and training programs to be conducted for farmers to help them to adopt and effectively utilize new technologies.
Drinking water
The main sources of drinking water in India are surface water and groundwater. Surface water includes rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, and canals. Groundwater is extracted from aquifers through wells, tube wells, bore wells, or hand pumps. According to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, about 85% of the rural population depends on groundwater for their domestic needs. The Jal Jeevan Mission is in the process of providing potable water to all the rural households and as of December 2023, the number of rural households with tap water supply in their homes was around 13.69 crore (71%).
The rest of the people use water from unprotected wells or springs, or surface water sources like rivers or lakes. While definitive data is not available, some evidence suggests that approximately 60 –70 percent of India’s water sources are contaminated by pollutants including – fluoride, arsenic, iron, nitrates, heavy metals, excess salinity, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), and biological contaminants. They originate from both natural processes and human activities. Some substances leach into water sources from underground rock and minerals. Human activities include industrial discharge, untreated sewage, and agricultural runoff having fertilizers, pesticides, and manure.
These contaminants cause serious effects on health and even death, especially among children. Some of the acute or chronic diseases caused by the pollutants include – fluorosis, arsenicosis, hemochromatosis, methemoglobinemia, cancer, diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, Giardiasis, roundworm infection of the intestines, and others. The limited availability of healthcare facilities in rural India, coupled with the financial burden of treatment and lost wages due to illness, make this a major concern for the villagers. To address this critical issue, prioritizing clean drinking water initiatives in rural India is crucial.
Household filtration units and community based reverse osmosis (RO) are examples of two water purification methods, among others. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Region specific conditions drive the decision on which purification method to use.
The advantage of RO is that it removes all the harmful contaminants completely from the drinking water. However, it also results in stripping off the beneficial minerals from the water which are necessary for health, and there is a waste of about 60% of water. Newer RO technologies that address the disadvantages at reasonable costs are becoming available. In many districts of India there is no option but to use RO due to the prevalence of high levels of toxic substances in the water, and the alternative method of purifying water through filtration not being effective. In general, community managed RO systems in rural India have been successful in providing safe water to the villagers and have high community participation and ownership.
Two water filters that are prevalent are the bio sand f ilter and ceramic filter. The bio-sand filter uses layers of sand and gravel, and a biological layer of microorganisms that develop on the surface of the sand, while the ceramic filter uses porous ceramic material to filter. These filters can remove bacteria, protozoan parasites, cysts, worms, and turbidity from the water. However, by and large they are not suitable for the removal of pollutants like arsenic, fluoride and iron, nitrates, and salinity from the water, even though specifically designed ones can remove some of these contaminants to different extents.
For the long-term improvement of the quality of underground water in villages i.e. aquifer remediation, the steps to be taken include (i) increasing the amount of water infiltration into the aquifer to dilute the pollutants (ii) sustainable use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals (iii) regulating groundwater extraction to prevent saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers.
Overall, more research and innovation are required to improve water purifying technologies for rural India.
Village level institution: Water Focused Community Based Organizations (CBO) & Panchayats
India’s development hinges on a decentralized system, with the elected Gram Panchayats representing village-level governance. Gram Panchayats are the recipients of budget allocation from the various State and Central Government schemes and sources and are intended to serve the interests of the Gram Sabha, which comprises the entire population of the village who are eligible voters. While the Constitution mandates the Gram Panchayat as the driver of village development, the need for Community Based Organizations (CBOs) extends beyond this formal structure. CBOs are a strategic bridge between the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat.
CBOs are voluntary groups comprising of dynamic and motivated villagers who work for the collective benefit of the community. Panchayat members are also invited to be part of these groups. In the context of rural water related issues, they facilitate the management and conservation of water and promote its sustainable and equitable use. Water focused CBOs can comprise users’ groups, committees, sangha and samitis.
Characteristics of Water Focused CBOs
The characteristics of the CBOs which are important to note are (i) they are not parallel structures to substitute the roles and responsibilities of the Gram Panchayat but are the vital missing link between the grassroots and official channels. Synergies between the CBOs and Gram Panchayat together bring about efficient development in the village (ii) gram Panchayats have finite tenures of 5 years, while CBOs have the advantage of being permanent structures, due to which they are better able to ensure sustainability of development initiatives. However, CBO members can also be changed under various circumstances if felt so by the local community or majority of the committee members (iii) CBOs enhance social cohesion, trust, and solidarity among rural people, and foster a sense of ownership and responsibility in them to take charge of their own development (iv) CBOs ensure that the required issues get into the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) which is submitted to the Government, and that they are followed through till their outcomes. (v) they act as platforms, representing the community, with whom the various stakeholders can interact (vi) CBOs play a vital role in mobilizing and educating the local communities, ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of infrastructure, and resolve conflicts and disputes (vii) finally, when needed, they demand transparency, responsiveness and accountability from the elected representatives and officials.
Training of village level institutions
Training Panchayats in India is a multifaceted approach, in which various organizations are involved. This is mainly the responsibility of the government even though Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as well conduct trainings. The government organizations include — State Institutes of Rural Development (SIRDs), National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR) and other government departments who conduct trainings related to their specific schemes and programs.
Mostly it is the CSOs which facilitate the formation and capacity building of the CBOs. The usual model followed is the formation of an overall village development CBO committee, which has thematic sub committees like for water. The training involves topics such as – enhancing self confidence and public speaking, assessment of the integrated development needs, gender mainstreaming, micro – planning and actions for executing them, technical understanding of initiatives, maintenance of water systems, participatory assessment of development initiatives, convergence with Gram Panchayat and government departments. The power of collective action is soon realized by the CBO members as they begin their activities, practically.
For fostering their better management of water resources. The water CBO members are also trained to (i) read piezometers which show the impact of the water conservation structures (ii) test the water quality through the field test kits (FTK), to assess and monitor the water sources.
Most essentially though, the CBOs are trained to facilitate independence of the village by stimulating the community towards innovation and adaptation of local solutions to local problems and encourage experimentation and learning from failures and successes.
Some themes promoted by water -CBOs
Advocacy of WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene). It is seen that behavior change in the community by using even the simplest WASH practices has a significant impact on improving the health of the rural people, due to which their livelihoods, education and social well-being is positively impacted. These WASH practices include – the safe storage of drinking water, frequent handwashing with soap, waste disposal mechanisms, personal hygiene, hygienic handling of food, keeping the surroundings clean, and managing animal waste responsibly through composting or in designated disposal sites.
Social initiatives by water –CBOs in rural communities can foster a water related culture in them. This includes awareness campaigns through water literacy and celebrations around water. School and university students, as well as Youth Clubs in villages, have proven to be good assistants to water–CBOs, for this.
Discussion and conclusion: Communication is Crux
In many villages of India, the lack of adequate and clean water, perpetuates and worsens the ‘poverty trap’, through adversely affecting the health and livelihood of people. Breaking free of this requires united efforts by all the stakeholders and entails a comprehensive approach of community-led and government backed initiatives, built around the limitation of the available water supply. In addition to the government, other stakeholders like Community Based Organizations (CBO), Panchayats, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Corporate Social Responsibly (CSR) entities, international donor institutions, academia, think tanks and media all play a vital role in organizing the village’s human resources, building civil structures, training and capacity building of the community.
While India tackles water emergencies like droughts and floods, there also needs to be policy and greater promotion around the specific theme of ‘consistent water availability’. New vocabulary needs to start being used in the country like – ‘Water-based Livelihoods’, ‘Participatory Water Governance’, ‘Sustainable Water Security’, ‘Water is an asset and not a liability’, ‘Every Drop Counts, Every Source Matters’, and others. Capacity building in villages needs to begin with a paradigm shift in the mindset of the people so that they see water as a fixed resource that needs careful management to ensure net availability in the positive per annum.
Mitigation of the symptoms is not the solution, and it must be tackled from the underlying source of the problem. The following six–pronged prototype needs to be adopted for creating impactful models, in India. However, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Solutions must be tailored to the specific geographic, hydrological and social contexts of each area.
• Water literacy
• Engaging women and youth
• Setting up Community Based Organizations
• Water budgeting and accountability. Among others, source sustainability, water quality and future projections need to be included in this exercise.
• An ecosystem or watershed approach that integrates all aspects of water instead of fragmented, siloed initiatives. Water challenges overlap with other issues like food and economic security, health, well-being, sanitation, education and gender equality. Addressing these interconnected issues through integrated programs will lead to more sustainable and lasting solutions.
To truly address water security, the development initiatives must actively include women in the villages, as most of their lives are spent around water, and ‘health’ is the domain of women. They are managing even in scarcity and can play a vital role collectively. The men in the community must be enrolled about women participation and the women must be provided with subject matter skills and access to all water resources like pumps, irrigation systems, and water storage facilities. Besides, women should be part of water committees and decision-making processes, where their voices are heard. Empowered women can manage overall water governance including – water supply, undertake water quality surveillance, protect water sources, and promote sanitation. Furthermore, it is seen that some women emerge as water champions, advocating with the public system for water security, engaging in the various government schemes and ensuring equitable access of water for all community members. Many of the traditional water structures and mechanisms, even based on local folklore, are best suited to the region and so need to be revived, because the community strongly identifies with them which leads to long term sustainability. However, there is a need to validate their utility prior to simply reviving these structures, as the ecosystem and even the catchment areas may have changed, since the time they had been constructed and were useful. For optimal outcomes an integration of time- tested techniques and contemporary advancements is required.
Some of the best practices to achieve water security in rural areas include the following (i) solutions should be adapted to the conditions and resources present in the village. They should be environmentally and financially sustainable and ensure benefits for future generations (ii) technology alone is not enough, and long-term water security requires behavior change, community ownership, and institutional support (iii) the government extension systems must be gender responsive (iv) the most powerful tool available to the village is the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), which needs to be harnessed by the community and CBOs (v) there is a under-utilization of the available government programs by the villagers, and there is a need to bridge this information gap (vi) water pipelines need to be upgraded and installed underground, which has the potential to substantially increase conveyance efficiency, and improve water conservation and sanitation in villages across India. (vii) increased access is required to government subsidies, microfinance and loans for communities and individuals to invest in water infrastructure and technologies like – efficient irrigation equipment, rainwater harvesting tanks, water purification systems and others (viii) transparent and fair water metering needs to be introduced for charging the water users based on the volume of water that they use, both for household and farm purposes. This encourages water conservation, more efficient use, detecting leaks and losses, monitoring the water use patterns, while ensuring affordability for vulnerable groups.
The most important facet around the theme of water is the communities themselves becoming the drivers of their own change and become independent of externalities and contingencies. For this to materialize, the game changers are – (i) awareness in every community member including school children, so that all realize that ‘water’ is the individual’s responsibility (ii) identification and nurturing of altruistic people in the community, to carry the initiatives forward (iii) the community together ‘reflecting’ on water issues, to find local solutions. Thus, effective communication, and the use of excellent and simple IEC tools is an essential feature. Consistent with this, the government may like to enhance its initiatives and budget for awareness and capacity building, as this is the rudder for transformational change.
Change is a slow process, and sustainability of development projects is not an easy task, as projects mostly do not automatically become self-reliant and continue operating on their own unless special efforts are made. Mostly, this entails the setting up of trained and empowered Community Based Organizations, the CBOs, who work in tandem with the Panchayat.
On an optimistic note, the power of the community lies in collective action and a shared sense of responsibility through which it is possible to create sustainable solutions to water challenges.
