Chhattisgarh: Dhamtari residents get access to clean tap water under Jal Jeevan Mission
Raipur, Nov 13
The remote villages of Dhamtari district and its large chunk of tribal population, which remained deprived of clean water for decades, have now got access to clean tap water under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
The entire village, which faced 'parched' conditions for a major part of the year, particularly during summers and had to mostly dwell on makeshift wells and ponds for their water needs, is a relieved lot today because of direct tap water connectivity to their homes, under the Centre-run JJM scheme.
Many villagers, speaking to IANS, said that their struggling days of drinking contaminated 'red water' though is not completely over, but has subsided to a larger extent.
Locals sharing their experience on the sea-change in village conditions said that excellent work has been done in Dhamtari district under the JJM in the past few years, because of which the clean water is being supplied to all homes in the district through tap connections.
Many said that earlier, they quenched their thirst with 'red water' coming from rivers, ponds, wells, and hand pumps, which directly affected their health. This led to various diseases, including diarrhoea and others. Also, they had to travel several kilometres for water, and the situation was more troublesome during the Summer.
The JJM brought a revolutionary change in their lives, and for this, they expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A beneficiary told IANS, "Earlier, we used to drink water from rivers and ponds, which often made us fall sick. Since the installation of tap water under the Jal Jeevan Mission, we have been getting clean water, and our health has improved."
Many other villagers echoed similar views, claiming that the tap water connection and clean water supply not only improved their health but also marked a substantial improvement in their living standards.
According to government estimates, when the JJM mission was launched in 2019, only 3.23 crore households had access to tap water. Since then, 12.48 crore additional households have been connected, marking one of the country's fastest infrastructure expansions, taking the total household connection to 15.72 crores.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who has visited Dhamtari district, I can attest to the water struggles there. The 'red water' problem was real and caused so many health issues. Jal Jeevan Mission is truly transforming lives in our rural heartlands. More power to such initiatives!
While I appreciate the progress, I hope the government ensures proper maintenance and sustainability of these water connections. Many schemes start well but fail due to poor maintenance. Regular water quality testing and local community involvement in maintenance is crucial.
The statistics are impressive - from 3.23 crore to 15.72 crore households! This is what development should look like. No more women walking kilometers for water, no more children falling sick from contaminated water. This is real empowerment. ðŸ™
Coming from a country where clean tap water is taken for granted, it's inspiring to see India making such rapid progress in rural infrastructure. The scale of this achievement - connecting over 12 crore additional households - is truly remarkable.
My grandmother used to tell stories about water scarcity in our village. Seeing this transformation in tribal areas like Dhamtari gives me hope that no Indian will have to struggle for clean water in the coming years. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
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