Murbad residents trudge miles for a bucket of water

Dhasai, Durgapur wadi, Rampur wadi, Mokhpur wadi are among some of the villages on the outskirts of Murbad taluka facing drought-like situation.

Lilla Balu Wagh, 60, has been standing in the scorching sun for five hours.

Villagers have to walk for 20 minutes in the scorching heat to draw water from a well at Durgapur wadi in Murbad.(Rishikesh Choudhary/HT)

She, along with women from Rampur village in Murbad taluka, located 80 km away from Mumbai, is waiting for their turn to draw water from a well.

All she can manage is less than half a can of water.

“The well has dried completely. We use small plastic cans to lift whatever we can. It takes at least an hour to fill a vessel,” said Wagh, who lives with her family of four.

Dhasai, Durgapur wadi, Rampur wadi, Mokhpur wadi are among some of the villages on the outskirts of Murbad taluka facing drought-like situation. The vast expanse of land and field, which are usually lush green, now look barren and dry.

“The villages are facing a drought-like situation after 37 years. This year, the wells have completely dried. There is hardly any source of water for residents, who are mostly dependent of tanker water,” said Amol Kadam, tehsildar, Murbad.

Though the village has a river, people depend on privately owned borewells or tanker water supplied by the authorities which is irregular.

A total of 150 families live in Durgapur wadi and Rampur wadi. The villages have seven wells but only two have water.

“We have to walk for at least 20 minutes in the scorching heat to reach the wells. It’s tedious. Even our school-going children join us in fetching water,” said Wagh.

The water supply department of panchayat samiti, Murbad taluka, has started sending seven tankers a day to the affected villages.

One tanker carries 12,000 litres of water.

“As per the directions from the Thane collector, we have got seven private tankers to supply water in these villages. Tankers are sent as per the demand from villagers. It also matters that the villages are easy to reach,” said Arvind Yejare, deputy engineer, water supply department, panchayat samiti, Murbad.

Villagers said it is not sufficient as the tanker comes only once a week.

The tanker empties the water into the well and then the villagers fill their vessels.

“How does this help us? We end up trudging to fetch a few cans of water. Villagers fight for water every day,” said Aruna Harepahhye, 30.

Dhasai village, half a kilometre away from Durgapur wadi, is also badly hit.

“In 1982, we faced severe water crisis. Wells were dry and there was no water supply in taps. The crisis is the same this year. People are forced to drink contaminated water from the well,” said Pandurang Vishe, 52.

Dhasai village has around 5,000 residents — some of them own wells which are 60 to 70 years old.

Hoping to get some water, residents have started cleaning their wells, which has been lying unused for year.

“Since the wells are dry, we have started cleaning them. We will at least have water when it rains,” Mansi Pulshunde, 28.

There are 15 privately owned wells.

“The well belonging to the gram panchayat is dry. It is constructed near Dhasai dam which is also almost dry,” said Umakant Patkar, 65.

The villagers complained that the gram panchayat had been assuring them of water supply projects for the past two years. However, they are just promises.

The authorities have not declared the villages drought-affected. This means there is no fund or help to tide over the crisis.

Some are minting money taking advantage of the situation. Villages that have water in wells are selling water to those which do not have.

“People from nearby villages bring water in barrels and vessels and sell it for Rs100 for a barrel and ₹20 for a vessel. We cannot afford to buy water every day. Most villagers are daily wage workers,” said Dayakant Patkar, 49, who lives in Rampur village.

As per the official record, 18 villages and 38 hamlets in Murbad taluka are facing water shortage.

Yejare said water is supplied in villages under various government schemes. “Out of the 187 schemes, 155 have been implemented here. This include buildings wells, stand pumps, water tanks, tanker supply and other works. The rest of the schemes are under progress,” added Yejare.

Last year in April and May, the department spent Rs4.46 lakh on tanker water. “The tanker water is poured into the well so that water is not wasted and it is evenly distributed,” said Yejare.