Community Power: Tribals Of Odisha’s Koraput Village Build Dam To Resolve Water Crisis

Koraput: Community efforts can make the impossible possible. The people of tribal-dominated K Dandabadi village under Dasamanthpur block of Odisha’s Koraput district have led the way. Administrative apathy towards their water woes made them stand united to sort out the issue on their own.

The villagers who had long been struggling to get adequate potable water, have built a small dam across a stream on the hilltop with their own effort and funds. They have channelised the water from the dam to the village by laying pipes.

The village, just 5 km from the block headquarters, is inhabited by 80 tribal families who have been facing a shortage of drinking water for years.

“There are only two tube wells in the village and don’t meet our water requirements. They are crying for repair. Though we had repeatedly apprised the block administration about our perennial water woes, it always turned a deaf ear. In summer, things turn worse when water is not available from the tube wells,” villagers said.

Women had to trek up the hill to bring water from the stream. It was a difficult and time-consuming task, they added.

“Pleading with the administration to sort out water woes is a futile exercise. That is why we thought of building a small dam across the stream to store water and then we channelized it up to the village end. Though it seemed to be a tough task for us in terms of funds and labour to be invested in the project, we resolved to work it out anyway,” they said,

All the villagers got together and decided to raise funds on their own. They collected Rs 80,000 in all.

“Pipes were purchased and stand posts were made with that fund. The dammed-up water in the stream was brought through the pipes to the village. All this work took 12 days,” they said.

The result. They are get water all day long.