A Report on the Drinking Water Problem for Gandiganumula

Gandiganumula village, situated in the Nallamala Forest of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India, has a population of 4,812. The people live in thatched houses, relying on mines in the surrounding region for work. Most of them are unskilled and illiterate, exposing them to exploitation by the mine owners. A man might only get 20 to 30 Rupees a day and the women even less. That's less than one Australian Dollar a day!

There is low rainfall and little access to irrigation so the land around the village is parched and barren - with less than 50 acres suitable for farming to provide for the whole village. On the arable land the people grow maize (their staple food), cotton, sunflowers and castor beans (for their oils), tobacco and their main crop-chilli.

Still, the greatest challenge for the community is not food, or shelter and clothing - it is the lack of clean drinking water. It is hardest on the women, as they have to walk for several kilometers to collect and carry clean water to the village.

In summer, temperatures rise to more than 40 degrees celsius, magnifying the village's water crisis. Consequently, people do not bathe for days, resulting in poor hygeine-causing health problems varying from eczema and other skin diseases to increased infant mortality. The village is also a long way from the nearest primary health centre, making it harder for those that are sick to seek necessary treatment.

In the village, there is a Primary School up to fifth Standard, but it remains closed due to the irregularity of teachers, thus depriving the children of their education. The poor flow of funds for developement especially in the areas of health, education, sanitation and drinking water indicates the lack of political will and inadequate allocation of funds.

Due to the lack of potable drinking water in the village, many suffered from chronic diseases. As a result, Helping Hand Welfare Society (HHWS) conducted a survey of the village situation in an effort to resolve the water crisis. HHWS along with the support of Asian Aid, dug a bore well to a depth of 350ft and installed a submersible pump, which feeds water into a collection tank above ground. In the past, the government has set-up three bore wells, but they have since become non-functional. The total cost for the new well (including digging and installation) came to around 80,000-90,000 Rupees, which equates to about $2500 AUD.

When the new well had been completed, there was a festive atmostphere as all the villagers expressed their happiness. While the new bore may not be able to cater to the entire village's needs, it is a sign of hope for approximately 50 families. To assist the project's sustainability, a "Community Action Group" (made up of youth, women and village leaders) was established and its members were given training on how to properly manage and maintain the well.

Helping Hand Welfare Society wishes to extend its work of providing clean, safe drinking water by digging another 25 wells in a number of other villages surrounding Gandiganumula.

Contributed by
D.RAJA VARMA