Water quality in Sahibganj district of Jharkhand is very poor. According to Integrated Management Information System, Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Government of India, there are 412 water quality affected habitations in Jharkhand as of 1 April 2012. The water quality problems include both microbial and chemical contamination. Arsenic contamination is one of the key reasons for poor water quality. The poor water and sanitation (WATSAN) status in Sahibganj is a combination of governance issues, weak and nascent village/gram panchayat institutions and low community participation.
Traditionally, people of Sahibganj used ponds and wells to fulfill their demands related to drinking water. Nowadays they use bore-wells and hand pumps. Since the district is situated on the banks of the River Ganga, the ground water has a higher chance of getting contaminated from arsenic (due to geogenic reasons).
The project will use arsenic mitigation as an entry-point for field interventions but will eventually attempt to address the larger issue of community based water security by improving WATSAN governance systems. Improving WATSAN governance includes improved technologies, capacities and systems, and better institutional arrangements. Targeted communication, promoting appropriate technologies, and developing capacities of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to manage systems will be undertaken.
Objectives
Geographical spread
Six gram panchayats of two arsenic affected blocks (Udhua and Mandro) in Sahibganj district, Jharkhand.
Key components
The project aims to help improve the water security (in terms of quantity and quality) in six gram panchayats (three gram panchayats each from the two blocks of Udhua and Mandro). In line with the broader definition of water security, the project will also seek to facilitate access to improved sanitation in these six gram panchayats. About 30,000 people residing in these six gram panchayats are expected to benefit from this project.
By the end of the project, the goal is to develop a replicable decentralised water security model for implementation in other arsenic affected blocks of Jharkhand.
The project will follow a phased approach. First phase involves social mobilisation through targeted communication/IEC campaigns and generating information about the existing WATSAN status in the six target gram panchayats. Baseline information will also be collected regarding status of convergence among schemes/departments, existing institutional structures and governance systems.
The second phase involves discussions/consultations regarding technology selection and capacity building sessions for PRIs and other relevant stakeholders leading to preparation of water security plans (WSPs). This phase will also include demand generation and developing monitoring and oversight capabilities of PRIs to facilitate safe sanitation.
Major Activities
Year 1
Year 2
Focus will be on providing hand holding support to gram panchayats so that they can implement their WSPs with their own resources. Support will be given to gram panchayats and advocacy will be made with different departments so that the gram panchayats can mobilise extra resources that are available at the block/district level.
Some capacity building programmes will be organised so that implementation of WSPs is effective. Focus of the training will be:
Year 3
Key outputs
Year/period
3 years (September 2013 to August 2016).
Supported by
Arghyam, India