Tura, April 23: Meghalaya’s Garo hills, is known for its abundant water sources. However, providing water to several thousand household in rural areas is still a distant reality. The government has undertaken various programmes to provide safe drinking water to rural masses, but villages in most parts of Garo hills are yet to reap the benefits.
Till 2010, rural villages in Gambegre and Selsella Development block in West Garo Hills had to depend on the nearby water sources – streams and rivers. In absence of pipe lines and wells in their vicinity, they had to climb up hills to fetch water.
The ministry of DoNER under North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP) identified several villages in the region for initiating development works.
The implementing agency West Garo Hills Community Resource Management Society selected rural and marginalized villages in Selsella and Gambegre block, and constructed community water tanks and wells.
“We had to walk on foot for several kilometers for water. Today, we have a community water tank in our village. It has helped my family and other 42 households”, said Linda D Sangma, a member of SHG at Jongbu Chiring, a remote village in West Garo Hills.
Their dreams were realised as the village is part of the NERCORMP project – II, which is being implemented in Garo hills. The village has also received funding for different activities from international fund for agricultural development (IFAD).
“We have accepted the change, which has come to our village”, said Gracetal Marak, a member of Natural Resource Management Society (NaRM-G). The NaRM-G were formed in all NERCORMP funded project villages, which is nothing but a group, which decides what initiatives are to be taken in villages.
The community participation has ensured monitoring and surveillance of drinking water sources at the village level. To keep water sources intact and maintain environment equilibrium, certain area in every project villages are kept as community conserve.
An activist of Achik Welfare Society, Manuel Ch Marak said, “We have collaborated with NERCORMP to initiate various development works in the rural areas. We teach them how to utilize the funds, and engage them to work together.
There is visible transformation in the lives of the people. We have mobilized the community to initiate welfare activities and have helped them to construct water tanks, concrete village road, community forest reserve and other economic activities”.
There are several villages in Selsella and Gambegre block, whose lives have seen a transformation over the past three years.
The project has also helped villages in Selsella and Gambegre to address their water woes for agriculture. Minor irrigation initiatives have been taken up at Jongbu Chiring under Gambegre and Chidina Songgital under Selsella.
“The irrigation project has helped us to continue with our agricultural practice”, said Chalia G Momin of Chidina Songittal in Selsella block. The community owned project are being managed by NaRM-G.
“The active participation of the villagers has ensured completion of the project”, said Balen Chuang K Marak, an activist of Socio Economic Welfare Society, an NGO funded by Baptist Church.
Many say that the project has given them solution to their problems. Their lives have become easy. They can think of their future, they have a partner, who is ever willing to collaborate to enhance their skills and capabilities, generate means of livelihood, share
knowledge, and above all, make meaningful engagement for shaping their policies for sustaining change.(SP News)
