Groundwater depletion and lack of potable water during dry season in spite of nearly 2000 mm rainfall/year.
A. Wastage of Groundwater while collecting
B. Wastage of Groundwater by way of bathing and washing cloth
Probable solution:
i. Awareness generation among community
To stop collecting water in bottle
To use funnel device to properly channel water flow and minimize wastage
ii. Advocacy with Gram Panchayat for taking step to minimize irrigation with Groundwater
Measures taken:
Awareness generation with community members and school students
Formation of Water Users’ group to ensure community ownership over Groundwater resource
GP as well as Block level advocacy meetings/workshops to take step for minimizing wastage of water
Attending and raising issues on 4th Saturday meetings at GPs/through Gram Sansad/Gram Sabha meetings
Application/advocacy with GP by CBOs, Village Committees, Project team
C. Wastage of Groundwater owing to excessive extraction for irrigation
Probable solution: Awareness generation of community for
Shifting to more profitable and water efficient crops
Irrigation with surface water
Measures taken:
Meeting with farmers
Advocacy with GP and Block for taking steps to encourage farmers for switching to changed cropping pattern and or stopping irrigation with Groundwater
A. Lack of wadequate water bodies to store rainwater
B. The area is not within the recharge zone
Probable solution:
Excavation of new ponds &/or renovation of old ones for collecting as much rain water as possible
To stop filling up water bodies through awareness generation
Promoting rainwater harvesting practice at family level
Measures taken:
Awareness generation and capacity building of community for promoting rain water harvesting at family level
Installation of rain water harvesting system in 4 schools in model villages
Advocacy with GP
A. Arsenic contamination in groundwater in Gaighata Block leading to Arsenicosis among users
Probable solution:
To use water from Arsenic free tube wells or tube wells having Arsenic within the threshold limit
Awareness generation among community for getting the tube wells tested for determining the level of Arsenic and stop using the same if Arsenic is above the threshold limit
Measures taken:
Tube wells are tested for determining the level of Arsenic and painting the safe ones with green and the risky ones with red’ (Actually, the ‘andf’ should be ‘and’).
Advocacy with Gram Panchayat for steps towards awareness generation on Arsenic and
Promoting low cost Arsenic filter
A. Absence of safe sanitary practice among many of the community members owing to lack of Knowledge Attitude and Practice leading to water borne doiseases through fece-oral route
Probable solution:
Installation of toilets (at least in model village)
Bringing about proper behavioral change like defecation at toilets only, using slippers while going to toilet, properly washing hands after defecation, etc, through awareness generation meetings with proper IECs like ‘F’ diagram etc.
Promoting the practice of collecting water from safe source in safe pot
Promoting the practice safe storage and safe handling among the rural community in Project area
Measures taken:
Installation of toilet in BPL families residing in the model village area
Meeting and follow up monitoring with beneficiaries and larger target community to instill positive practice
Testing tube wells in Gaighata for ensuring that tube well is Arsenic free/within rthreshold level hence the source is safe for collecting drinking water
Installation of new tube wells in &
Repairing dysfunctional ones