Soaring temperatures, a scorching and sweltering heat, have created a tough summer for primitive tribal villages across Jharkhand, drying up various water sources.
The Asur — a tribe mostly residing in the hilly terrain and dense forests of the pat area of Netarhat — are facing an acute drinking water scarcity. All sources like small rivulets, wells and reservoirs have completely dried up in this summer.
Tribal people in this region have to trek 5 to 7 km with pots to fetch water from streams once or twice every day. Notably, ‘Netarhat’— a hill station also known as 'Queen of Chhotanagpur', is a plateau situated at a height of about 3,500 feet above sea level. It is covered with thick forests and orchards, dotted with valleys and falls. “But drinking water has always been a problem in this region,” said Chamru Asur of Sakhuapani hamlet.
like Sakhuapani other tribal hamlet like Amkipat, Jobhipat, Chaurapat, Polpolpat including others have no source of water except the natural streams, said Punam Asur.
Picturesque though the locale is, “We are compelled to bring water from natural sources of ‘dhari’ on our heads in the pots, she said.
“Sometimes contaminated stream water leads to water-borne diseases, killing many every year”, added Punam.
“With the initiation of the Government, a few handpumps were installed earlier but all of them have stopped working now,” said Sabina Asur.
In a bid to rehabilitate as well as facilitate the primitive tribes Central and State government invested lots of fund the humble approach since after the independence; an utter failure in various means, found during s study under Jharkhand Media Fellowship-2012.
Its’ also found that lack of government concern created mayhem not only among Asur’s but among the other tribes too residing in this region. The situation became so alarming in the remote tribal villages that everyday the tribal have to trek about 5 km to 8 km to fetch water carrying on their heads.
Amidst unlimited bounty and blessings hilly terrain of Jharkhand are infamous for maoist presence, lacks development and so far no tangible steps were taken to solve the basic requirements of the people like provision for drinking water. Due to Maoist-dominated area, no one dares to visit the area and provide them their basic needs, said Rajesh Asur.
No one is taking care for us. HINDAlCO and Birla are only concentrating on bauxite mining they are not giving any heed to wards our basic needs, he alleged.
“If no steps would be taken earliest to provide minimum facilities like water for human beings, then we have no alternative except to die”, added Rajesh.
Notably, in Jharkhand entire population does not have access to safe drinking water and sanitation. rural sanitation coverage is very low. About 30 percent of habitations have partial facility with drinking water. All habitations do not have safe drinking water as source contains Fluoride, Arsenic and Iron.
According to Government sources about 32000 villages are suffering from an acute water crisis. Of the 3.5 lakhs wells in these villages, about 1.5 lakhs have nearly dried up.
This article has been written under Jharkhand Media Fellowship-2012