Date
24-Mar-2014 to 25-Mar-2014 		Location
Sahibganj, Jharkhand		 Format
Sub National

Decentralised Drinking Water Security in 6 Arsenic Affected Gram Panchayats
of Sahibganj District

Arsenic contamination is one of key problems related to water quality in Sahibganj, Jharkhand. As per the guidelines of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, Government of Jharkhand (DW&SD, GoJ) is building a multi-village scheme (MVS) to provide safe drinking water to three water quality affected (two of which are arsenic affected) blocks in Sahibganj. To implement its MVS, effectively, the DW&SD, GoJ had requested Arghyam’s support in software activities that are planned under MVS. On the basis of this request Arghyam and PRIA did a rapid reconnaissance survey during September 2012 to assess the ground situation in Sahibganj and lay out a suitable entry strategy for Jharkhand. During the reconnaissance it was also realised that the Poor water and sanitation (WATSAN) status in Sahibganj is a combination of governance issues, weak and nascent village/Gram Panchayat (GP) level institutions and low community participation. And, therefore, considering optimal use of Arghyam’s resources and its partner’s expertise, it seemed that Arghyam and PRIA will be better suited to support a decentralised water security Project in other arsenic affected blocks (where the MVS is not planned) of Sahibganj. The idea was to develop a broader menu of safe drinking water options, add complementarity to DW&SD, GoJ’s initiatives in Sahibganj and help widen its impact by increasing the outreach of services.

Keeping all these issues in mind it was decided that a project with a title ‘Decentralised drinking water security in 6 Arsenic affected Gram Panchayats of Sahibganj district’ would be implemented. It was also decided that the project will use arsenic mitigation as an entry-point for field interventions but will eventually attempt to address the larger issue of water security by improving WATSAN governance systems, through targeted communication, promoting appropriate technologies, and developing capacities of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to manage systems. Specifically, the project aims to improve the water security (in terms of quantity and quality) in 6 Gram Panchayats (GPs) of 2 arsenic affected blocks (Udhwa and Mandro) in Sahibganj. In line with the broader definition of water security, the Project will also seek to facilitate access to improved sanitation in these 6 GPs.

One of the key activities of the project was to conduct a base line survey to understand three important dimensions related to water security plans. These are:

  1. Current status of water management in the selected GPs,
  2. Role of various stakeholders, including PRIs, in overall water management, and
  3. Capacities of PRIs to do water management at the local level

Base line survey was done in the selected GPs during December 2013 – January 2014. In all 736 questionnaires from the 6 GPs were filled. These questionnaires were filled at the housed level. Focus Group Discussions were also organised to understand the community level issues. Discussions were also held with elected representatives of PRIs, Jal Sahiyas, government officials laced at the GP level to know their views on water security plans.

The draft report, based on the field work, was shared in all the 6 GPs during 10-12 March 2014. The Block level sharing of the report would be shared during 25-26 March. The objectives of the block level sharing are: