| Date 22-Mar-2013 to 22-Mar-2013 |
Location Korba, Chhattisgarh |
Format Sub National |
Villagers in Korba, Chhattisgarh related the problems they face due to the water crisis at an event to mark World Water Day organized by PRIA and SROUT on 22 March 2013.
Water is life. Tribal communities have local knowledge gathered through generations which they have used to manage their natural resources, including water, with care. PRIA’s action research project on Implementation of PESA in Chhattisgarh focuses on water (http://www.pria.org/about-pria/our-divisions/alip/alip-projects/2305). It is working to address the issue of management of natural resources in PESA areas by understanding the felt needs and aspirations of the Scheduled Tribes living in PESA areas, analyzing the existing governance systems, and collecting evidence of existing practices of management of natural resources
The World Water Day program was attended by nearly 80 to 90 villagers, the District Collector, the CEO of the District Panchayat, panchayat representatives, government officials from the Public Health and Engineering Department and the Irrigation Department, and a representative from the CSR arm of one of the largest public sector mining companies in the area (BALCO). Women in Korba block are very interested in raising their problems and are active in such meetings.
The discussions focused on the importance of water, emphasizing the need for appropriate and sustainable management of water so that future generations will be able to get ample, clean water. Villagers were encouraged to take up water management issues in gram sabha meetings and elected representatives were made aware of their responsibility regarding conservation and management of water which is a mandated responsibility of gram sabhas in PESA areas.
Government officials used the platform to inform the local community about different schemes, such as rain water harvesting and construction of check dams. Villagers used the opportunity of the open platform to talk about the difficulties they face due to water shortage and raise concerns. The Public Health department official assured them that the hand pumps and the well in Bhatgaon village would be cleaned and gave approval for the tap water scheme in Chuhiya village. This reflects PRIA’s strength in bringing together multiple stakeholders on a common platform and building bridges for dialogue.
The event was also an occasion to talk about an upcoming campaign -- Chhattisgarh Water Centered PESA Awareness Campaign 2013 -- which PRIA and its partners will be kicking off on 5 April 2013. (http://www.pria.org/events/upcoming-events/details/148-chhattisgarhwater-centered-pesa-awareness-campaign2013-chhattisgarh-jalkendrit-pesa-jagruktaabhiyan2013).
