Latur Villages Team-Up To Work Their Way Out Of Long-Term Water Scarcity

Latur: Even in Latur's blistering heat, Shyam Barure has to ensure the work goes on. The rains are less than two months away and the 27 km nallah (drain) has to be widened and desilted in time. The work is part of the integrated water conservation and management scheme, Jalyukt Shivar - a flagship initiative of the Maharashtra government that hinges on people's participation.

Harangul is the only village in Marathwada that has received Rs 50 lakh from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for its project under the scheme. Villagers themselves have raised Rs 61 lakh. President of the Harangul Jalyukt Shivar Committee, Mr Barure says, "People in the village voluntarily have helped contribute to the Jalyukt Shivar for desilting and widening of the nallah, even postponing weddings in the family to the next year. These are tough times, people don't have enough to eat or drink but they are hopeful this project will solve our water problem forever."

The scheme was launched in January last year as a long term measure aimed at making 5,000 villages scarcity-free in its first phase and extend it to the state over a period of five years. Villagers can choose from a range of water and soil conservation options including building check dams, desilting, deepening, widening drains, rejuvenating water sources and desilting percolation tanks. "We don't want the women of this village to be burdened with their water pots and buckets and that's why the whole village has come together," emphasises Mr Barure.

Latur collector Pandurang Pole says, "Last year there was less rainfall so the impact of the scheme may not have been fully visible but the scheme has succeeded which is why more villages want to be a part of it." In the district alone, over 6000 works were undertaken covering 202 villages in 2015. This year, another 176 villages have joined in.

But the success of these projects will depend on the availability of water and hence, the rain.