Bhuvaneshwari Devi is part of a women’s group – a Mahila Mangal Dal – in the village of Chopriali, Uttarakhand. Before, this small village of 63 households was typical of many others in the region. The discharge of the spring they relied on for water had become erratic, out-migration of youths had led to a decline in agricultural income, and the poor state of sanitation led to health problems.
Matters would have continued in this manner if it were not for a revolution that swept through the village in 2010.
It started when Himalaya Consortium for Himalayan Conservation (HIMCON), an organisation working in the area, met with the villagers and chalked out a plan of action to solve their water woes and livelihood issues. The first step they took was to establish a Mahila Mangal Dal working on the by now widely understood fact, that trained women’s groups make astute managers of public funds.
The organisation sat down with the Mahila Mangal Dal and figured out solutions to their water shortage. A stream, the Channi Gad, was chosen. This was traditionally used by the villagers for water, but a lack of storage meant that the stream could no longer satisfy the needs of the village. The one tank, which had a capacity of 72 cubic metres, lay silted over and defunct.
Getting their hands dirty
The women cleaned out this tank and excavated another one leading to a total storage of 200,000 litres. They planned and assisted in the construction of a canal to bring water to a convenient spot. Here another tank, three ‘dharas’ or water spouts, and space for washing were created. Overflow from the storage tank was directed to another tank used for irrigation. A sand filter was constructed at a spring in Channi Gad and the piped water brought down to the village. The sustainability of this supply was ensured by applying appropriate recharge and soil conservation measures in the recharge area of the spring.
Simultaneously, the villagers were given training in off-season vegetable cultivation, composting, and agricultural techniques. A revolving fund was established solely for the purpose of buying seed. Saplings and seed were distributed among interested farmers.
The villagers now boast of a standpost for every two households. Several families own rainwater harvesting tanks. The village has built up a reputation for itself as a producer of fine vegetables and some farmers have begun supplying the Delhi market.
Today, the Mahila Mangal Dal has taken over the responsibility of managing these diverse systems. They have regular monthly meetings where they plan for maintenance of the sand filter and piped system. They organise regular clean-ups of the tanks and are now planning to build loose boulder structures. The seed fund has increased from Rs. 40,000 to Rs 60,000 (US$660- 990). Rabi and summer cultivation has increased from a net 5 hectares to a net 17 hectares.
Over and above all the changes in the village is the change in the women. “Bring us any project you have”, Bhuvaneshwari Devi commanded me. “We’ll implement it”.
See more photos of women water managers from Chopriali village.
This story was first published on India Water Portal, an initiative supported by Arghyam. IWP is India’s largest resource and platform focused on water issues.