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In Kutch & Saurashtra during summer, rivers go dry.
People are awfully affected by water scarcity. They dig the soil on the
river bank for water. Underground water in the small holes is then collected
with a small bowl. These holes are called “Veerda” in Gujarati.
The water quantity is small. Hence very soon the Veerda goes dry. Then it
takes few hours or even whole night to get filled in again.
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You can see that the hole has gone almost six feet
deep. The lady is wholly inside the Veerda. In their search for water, the
poor ladies go deeper & deeper.
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These ladies in Kutch would walk several kilometres every
day to fetch some water.
In Dharampur, the case is worse the ladies have to climb up the mountain for
fetching water.
Try imagining ourselves carrying a pot of water and climbing up three stairs
in our building. We will find it difficult. But these ladies have to climb
up a few kilometers! |
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This is the state of Indian tribal poor in the forest of
Dharampur. Photograph taken in the year 2000.
Photographer – Rashmin Sanghvi.
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The best way to alleviate poverty is to give them self
employment in their own villages. Agriculture gives the best ratio of
investment to employment. For better agriculture, we need water
management. If the people participate in water management, we get best
results. Hence we organise this kind of meetings with the villagers and
explain them the concepts of water management, check dams, wells etc.
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Some of the donors sitting on the check dam newly built
in Dharampur. Year 2003. |
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This series of three dams built in the year 2001 was
the first water management project inspired by Vedchhi Pradesh Seva Samiti
in Dharampur. It was a mistake constructing three dams so close to each
other. And yet, it did give substantial benefits to the farmers across the
road under the dams. (The dams are built on the slope of a mountain. Then
there is a road. On the other side of the road, on the lower slopes, there
are farms.)
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This is one small dam. Even such small dams help by allowing the water to
percolate. |
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This is another dam. |
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All dams are built by stone & soil. No cement,
concrete work. The men dig the soil from the mountains. Women carry the load
to the site of the dam. These young girls should be in the school or in the
playground. Some day, it will happen. |
