The water warriors of parched Bundelkhand

Bundelkhand has been facing drought for years. The water level is going down and water sources of the area are drying up. This is a story of every year in all five districts of the region - Sagar, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgargh and Panna. But some organisations, especially women groups, are trying hard to change the scenario of parched Bundelkhand. And this change can be seen in a small village Agrotha in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Situated about 95 KM from the district hq, the slleepy Agrotha is now an awaken village because of local women groups and their hard work.

The story revolves around some 120 women who changed their misery into opportunity and did what many can't even imagine about. It is about the area where women used to get up in the middle of the night so that they can cross a mountain and bring water in home. Or they have to wait for their turn so they can use the lone well or either of the two handpumps in the village.  Still there was no guarantee of how much water they would get and was destined after hours of waiting.  But their determination cut opened the way for the water to seep through the village. After almost 18 months of hard work, the same women cut their way through a mountain of about 107 meters and made a drain from it, which started filling the water into the pond adjacent to the mountain which was made in chandel era. Obviously, this  water used to flow from the mountain back into the  nearby river Bachhedi. "We used work on cutting the mountain from 10 am in the morning to late evening in both the cold and hot weather so that our coming generation wouldn't have to experience the same circumstances which we went through. There were blisters in the feet and  handsof many, but due to the water, the pain of blisters is long forgotten," Jal Saheli Kali Bai.

Paramarth Samaj Sevi Sanstha (NGO)worked to unite these women whose founder is Dr Sanjay Singh. Like the Jal Jan Jodo Abhiyan, the charity is working to revive the water sources in different villages of Bundelkhand.  Local women are included in this. In Agarotha village, 18-year-old girl Babita Rajput worked to convince the women.  Babita had to face difficulties initially but later women understood the matter and agreed to do 'Shramdaan'. "It was not very difficult to explain to the women, but some men of the village interrupted this work and provoked the women and told them not to work. Babita said that now there is no problem of water in our village. Earlier, the rainy  season water used to go waste. By reviving the pond, women have also increased the water level of the village," said Jal saheli Babita Rajput.  The experts from the  NGO visited the Agarotha for inspection and guided the group through out their journey.

"The village is surrounded by mountains but instead of coming into the pond, all the water goes into the river Bacchedi. If the mountain is carved in a way that the water can come between the pond and the forest, then the pond will be filled," said Dhaniram Raikwar, Parmarth Institution. "Due to increasing ground water level, water has also come in dry wells and hand pumps,"  said Bati Bai.

Now in spite of less rainfall in Agarotha this year, there is enough water in the pond. Village wells and hand pumps are also giving water. This pond, built on 40 acres, is now full. The hard work of these women shows that nothing is impossible;  the need is just to take a pledge. These jal sahelis are the "Bhagirath" of their village, who changed the fortunes of their village by cutting the mountain. Now these women will also work on reviving river Bacchedi. There are more than 700 Jal Sahelis in different areas of Bundelkhand who have changed the fate of over 200 villages with their efforts related to water awareness and availability, by reviving water harvesting structures and traditional water bodies through community participation and shramdaan. Now efforts are being made to form a Pani Panchayat of 20 or 25 women in the village which includes chairman, secretary, treasurer and a working committee.  The women members of Pani Panchayat then spread awareness in the rest of the village for water and explain it to them.  These are popularly known as jal Sahelis.  And are always eager to help reduce the scarcity of water in their areas.