Water at last! Social Organisation rids four parched panvel villages...

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Source: http://pavanaputra.tripod.com/news/kom-project.htm

 

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2003 - VOLUME 5 ISSUE NO 5 - WEST SIDE PLUS -

COMPLIMENTARY TO THE READERS OF THE TIMES OF INDIA IN NAVI MUMBAI- - - - - - -

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WATER AT LAST!

SOCIAL ORGANISATION RIDS FOUR PARCHED PANVEL VILLAGES OF WATER SHORTAGE

 

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BY K V KRISHNA RAJENDRA - PANVEL TALUKA

About 20 kms from Panvel nestle the remote hilly hamlets of Tarpatti,

Kombaltekdi, Maldunge and Satyechiwadi. Though during the monsoons, months the

few wells yield water, they run dry for the rest of the year. The women tread

great distances, balancing pots atop their heads, to procure drinking water for

their family. The idea of running water tapes and piped water remained a pipe

dream to the neglected villagers here.

 

This dry dismal scenario faded out of sight after a formal inauguration marking

the success of their "Water Project" on November 2nd set up about eight months

back by the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation (SSSSO), Mumbai, a spiritual

social service organisation. At each of the four villages, brand new red metal

taps gushed out thick steady stream of water even as villagers looked on

chanting ecstatic "Sai Rams" thank to the eight month long attruistic efforts

of the enterprising Youth Wing members of the SSSSO, who have finally turned to

reality the hitertho seemingly easier-said-than-done idea of providing

round-the-clock piped water supply through taps at various water points. The

water project will benefit about a thousand villagers.

 

Litesh Majethia, an active volunteer of the youth wing explains about the

project. " Our Panvel unit of SSSSO has been engaged in various social service

activities like free monthly medical check up of the villagers for the last few

years and in course of our visits to the villagers, clued us on the severe water

problem these areas faced. And so we decided to take a shot at providing piped

water for these parched areas. Drawing from the previous success last year in a

similiar schemes for other Navi Mumbai based dry villages like Dodhani, Khardi,

Chafewadi etc, we took up the cudgels for providing potable water for the four

hamlets," he said. A first round geological survey of Tarpatti, Kombaltekdi and

Satyechiwadi showed a dearth of a water source at high altitudes until at the

suggestion of a Nerul based geologists, they dug up a spot at Maldunge village

below and hit upon a rich water table, which yielded water on digging as little

as 30 feet at the first go. This well is now

the main fountainhead that channels water through pipes to different water

points fitted with taps in the four hamlets.

 

But that wasn't the end of all problems. Kombaltekdi, which is located at the

highest altitude, appeared to require about two kilometre long pipeline, which

seemed to get uneconomical. They finally got around the problem by giving the

pipe the shortest possible route of just one kilometre. the organisation has

built a 20,000 litre capacity storage tank at the Kombaltekdi village which

will cater to the needs of the next door Satyechiwadi village town. Another one

that could store 10000 litres is commissioned at Tarpatti which will take carte

of the water needs of Maldunge. HDPE pipes used in the project have been

provided by the Reliance group at a subsidised rate.

 

The project was a part of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's programme of Grama Seva

of selfless service to villages. The inauguration was followed by free medical

check up and distribution of medicine to the villagers by the general

physicians and doctors specialised in various fields.

 

Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, devoted to social service with a spiritual

core, was found under the guidance and inspiration of spiritual leader Sri

Sathya Sai Baba. From the first Sai Centre started in India in 1965, its

numbers have today risen to around 19,600 centres and spread over 137

countries.

 

For more information about the activities if SSSSO, contact Sai Prem next to

Balaji Temple, Sectore 10A, Vashi or call Nimish Pandya on Mobile No 98 200

83696.

 

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