PSI Activity Brief-3
Hamirpur Watershed Development Programme (2000 – 2004)
In September 2000, the Hamirpur (H.P.) District Rural Development Agency (DRDA)
invited PSI to implement watershed development in 69 villages of Sujanpur and Nadaun
blocks.
One of the first
accomplishments was the
mobilization of women.
When PSI's team first
called a meeting in the
area, only a few women
came - all in ghoongats.
Now women are in a
majority in most
meetings and the
ghoongat has been
dispensed with.
While inviting
PSI to undertake the
work, Anuradha Thakur,
then Deputy Commissioner of Hamirpur, had asked that priority be given to solving the
domestic water supply problem of the watershed villages, since they faced severe water
availability problems and the district administration had to routinely send tankers to these
villages. Today no water tanker is required by any of the 69 villages. Instead, tankers fill up
here to supply water elsewhere (See box below).
Using knowledge gained from the Institute's Jal Sanskriti programme, its Hamirpur
team mobilized the local communities to install a combination of traditional water harvesting
structures (bawris and nauns) and new innovative technologies (deep infiltration wells and
spring sanctuaries) alongwith conventional soil and water conservation measures. A significant
indicator of the
success achieved in
this watershed is the
commitment of many
VLIs to continue to
work on the path of
transparent and self-
reliant processes even
after the watershed
project is over. They
have demonstrated an
ability to take new
initiatives. The Mahila
Mandals of Andara-
Palasi and Batali
villages have been
given funds by the
March 2007
district administration to implement environmental conservation projects conceived by them.
An external review commissioned by the Hamirpur DRDA commended the work done.
People's Water Supply In, Government Out
In Himachal Pradesh, domestic water is normally supplied by the Irrigation & Public
Health (IPH) Department. But in Dabker and Bhusal villages, people have installed their
own water supply system, replacing that of the IPH. This is a result of PSI's Hamirpur
Watershed Development Programme.
The IPH Department had installed a water supply pipeline for Dabker in the 1990s.
But when PSI's watershed programme began, people said that they had not received any
water from the IPH in 3
years. They were keen to
have a local source of
water that would be under
their control. They
formed a Jal Samiti. A
big impetus came from
Smt. Tripta Devi, a
school teacher, who
donated land and
Rs.20,000 for a well. PSI
provided technical
assistance and helped the
villagers construct a well
using a wall of porous
cement blocks. A nala-bund was constructed in a stream flowing behind the well to increase
the groundwater recharge.
After the well was constructed the people installed a pump to lift water to all the 21
families in the village. The total cost of the installation was about Rs.l,20,000. The people
contributed Rs.90,000 in cash and the rest as Shramdan. Later, they built an overhead tank.
Now the water is first pumped to the tank and then supplied to the users by gravity flow.
The Hamirpur DRDA provided Rs.50,000 for the construction of the overhead tank. The
Dabker Jal Samiti charges Rs.20 per connection every month for meeting the power and
maintenance costs. Water is also supplied free of cost to the local high school, primary
school and the Primary Health Centre.
Once the water supply system began functioning, the Jal Samiti wrote to the IPH
office asking it to withdraw, since the village now had its own water supply system and
would not pay any bills to the IPH. The IPH water connection was cut in 2003 and an MoU
was duly signed to this effect. Inspired by this example, the neighbouring Bhusal village
also installed its own water supply system and got the IPH Department to withdraw. Now
Tareti village is preparing to follow suit!
For further information please contact
People's Science Institute Tel. : 91-135-2763649, 2773849
252 Vasant Vihar-I E-mail : psiddoon@[Link]
Dehra Doon - 248006 Website : [Link]
March 2007
