Villagers from the Siwana area of Rajasthan are holding the longest-running dharna in the state in regard to their demand for regular water supply. Due to the depleting groundwater, the villagers are facing the biggest ever challenge regarding the supply of drinking water. Hundreds of villages and thousands of villagers are caught up in the problem.

Rajasthan/Barmer— Even today, a water crisis continues to plague large sections of the population in our country. One instance of this has taken the form of severe and worsening water distress across dozens of villages in the Siwana tehsil of ​​Barmer district in Rajasthan. To resolve the water crisis, a dharna, the "AnishchitakaaleenJal SamasyaAhinsaatmakDharna Pradarshan" [indefinite, non-violent dharna and demonstration for water crisis] has been going on for 467 days in front of the Tehsil office in Siwana town. This is the longest dharna so far in Rajasthan on the issue of water. The Mooknayak attempted to find out more about the situation on the ground and the details of the issue in this area by talking to the people standing in the queues for water furthest away, at a distance of 170km, from the district headquarters.

Looking around at the current situation in Siwana, Rahim's couplet aptly describes this today:

Rahiman paani rakhiye bin paani sab suun

paani gaye an ubhre moti manush chuun

The villagers tell us that, there was a time when Siwana was considered as the Kashmir of Barmer district but at present, the situation is that people are having to fight hard for drinking water. The people in the villages are currently having to arrange water tankers at expensive prices just to quench their thirst. The government and administration may be making claims of trying to resolve the problem, but for the dozens of waterless villages inSiwana, all these claims and efforts appear as hollow gestures. The ponds in the villages have dried up, and the groundwater level has also dropped, due to which along with the villagers, the cattle also are thirsting for every drop of water.

Rajasthan's longest-running protest for water

The indefinite dharna organized by the residents of Siwana regarding the issue of water supply in the area has now been going on for 467 days. This is Rajathan'sbiggest dharna for water. The main demand of the villagers is for water supply to the area by means of completion of the construction of the 10km-water pipeline tank between Balotra and Siwana that forms part of the Pokaran-Phalsund-Balotra-SiwanaDrinking Water Project.

Current situation and demands of the villagers

At present, along with the town of Siwana, in dozens of villages in Siwana tehsil, due to the drop in groundwater levels, a severe water problem is staring the face of the ordinary public. It was 18 years ago, in 2003 that the Pokaran-Phalsund-Balotra-Siwana Drinking Water Project was started by the government as a permanent solution for drinking water supply to the 101 villages of Siwana. But the final stages of completion of the work remain unfinished.

Memorandum addressed to the CM submitted every day for 15 months

The villagers told The Mooknayak, "For the past 467 days, the committee members of the protest, as well as villagers, have been holding an indefinite, non-violent dharna in front of the tehsil office. We are demanding the completion of the finished project pipeline as an alternative arrangement for water supply in the area. Every day, the villagers submit to the tehsildar memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister."

Sua Devi, a 90-year-old elderly woman, and resident of Ludara described the water problem to The Mooknayak. "There is no water in our village. People here are desperate for water. Cows and other animals and birds are dying. A long line of vessels builds up to fill water from the village tap."

Bhuri Devi, who is from the same village, tells us that, in this scorching heat, [we need to think] should we drink water or take a bath! Due to lack of water, we bathe once in five days. "There is no water in our village. We bathe once in five days. Every day, there are fights over filling water from the tap. To fill water, one has to sit near the tap until night-time. The animals and birds too are thirsting for water."

Regarding the water problem, Seema Devi, a resident of Mavdi, says, "When it is election time, the leaders of all parties make big promises with folded hands. Once the election is over, they do not even acknowledge us. We have only one demand from the government – to provide a facility for water in our village."

While speaking to The Mooknayakon about the dire situation of water, Andaram (70), a resident of Piploon, Siwana, tells us, "We are desperate for water to quench our thirst. The cost of a tanker of water is around Rs.800-1000. From where do we get so much money? Do we give water to drink to the animals in the house, or should we drink it ourselves, should we bathe? What to do…! There is no water in the nearby wells either."

Sunil Kumar, a resident of Siwana, says that Rajasthan's biggest protest is going on in Siwana regarding water, but as of now, there has been no response from the government and administration. People are in a lot of desperation regarding water. The situation is such that even after paying Rs.1,500 for tankers, the water is not being delivered on time. The work that needs to be done regarding water supply as per the government's schemes is not being done. However, politicians keep coming to the dharna and leaving after giving assurances as usual. The water issue has become a complex problem that must be resolved.

Punamchand Ramdev, Siwana block president of the Congress, currently in power in Rajasthan, had this to say on the matter, "The water problem in Siwana is getting worse day by day. The groundwater has almost run out. In such a critical situation, water is being supplied via tankers as far as possible on the orders of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. From time to time, public representatives from our area update the government regarding the dire situation. The work of the Pokaran-Phalsund-Balotra-SiwanaDrinking Water Project is proceeding at a fast pace, and very soon this problem will be resolved."

यहां हिन्दी में भी पढ़ें: राजस्थान: 15 महीने से धरने पर बैठे हैं यहां के लोग, लेकिन कहीं चर्चा क्यों नहीं?

[Story Translated By Lotika Singha]