Villagers Treat Water As an Economic Good, Olavanna, Kerala, India
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Field Note Water and Sanitation Program Villagers Treat Water An international partnership as an Economic Good, to help the poor gain sustained access to improved water supply Olavanna, Kerala, India and sanitation services South Asia Region SUMMARY SMALL PRIVATE Although Kerala is classified as INITIATIVES (SPI) IN THE WATER AND SANITATION a rain-rich State, there are SECTOR IN INDIA several pockets of acute water scarcity. Since 1987, one In India, water and sanitation services are Panchayat in northern Kerala is predominantly provided breaking new ground in by Government and para- statal agencies. There are community action for self- very few instances of sufficiency in drinking water large-scale formal private sector participation; where supply. Faced with acute water they exist they are mostly scarcity and the unreliable service contracts or man- agement contracts. service of the State water authority, small groups of However, a number of small-scale informal pri- villagers of Olavanna Gram vate initiatives have Panchayat in Kozhikode district emerged to fill the gaps in the existing delivery have been organizing them- system. Some of these selves into groups, collecting private initiatives are in partnership with the money, setting up small piped Government, and others water supply schemes, and have come about on their own in response to meeting their own water supply demand from clients. needs, rather than depend on This series of Field the State Government. In this Notes on Small Private effort they have been inspired Initiatives in the Water and Sanitation Sector in by the Gram Panchayat A water tank constructed under a private India is designed to docu- President. This field note ment a few successful drinking water scheme urban and rural experi- describes a demand responsive ences focusing on approach in operation, documents a case of managing rural water the poor. supply at the lowest appropriate level, and is an example of how the Government can move from a provider to a facilitator. Most importantly, this field note is about a rural community treating drinking water as an economic good. This is perhaps the first initiative in rural India where the user community is meeting the full capital and operation and SPI Series:4 maintenance costs of their drinking water schemes. Department for International DFID Development Background ing families in the hamlet of Kambili- Olavanna Gram paramba. The GP supported this ini- Panchayat: Main Features tiative. This project was successful HE OLAVANNA Gram Pan- Location: One of 6 Gram Panchay- and the other villagers realized that chayat in Kozhikode district ats (GP) in Kozhikode Community instead of helplessly agitating against TT had a drinking water scarcity Development Block in north Kerala. the KWA and the GP, they could problem. Olavanna presented a clas- Area: 21.43 square kilometers (km), themselves solve their drinking water sic case of ‘water, water everywhere, with 32 hillocks, 21 water channels, problem. This could be done at a low but not a drop to drink’. The 3 rivers, 41 ponds and the river Chaliyar that cost and, as they themselves man- including Chaliyar, flowing through bisects the Panchayat. aged the project, they could organize the Panchayat are saline. Other non- the service according to their require- Population: 44,398 (1991 Census) saline surface water bodies in the ments. This scheme serving just 5 in 7,153 households. 2,072 per- Panchayat go dry in February, as households was soon to herald a new sons live in 1 square kilometer (sq. summer sets in. The water scarcity era in rural drinking water supply in km.) of area, whereas the average forces people (and women in particu- Kerala. Encouraged by this initiative density of Kerala is 749 persons per lar) to walk long distances to get and supported by the GP President, sq. km. Female population is higher water for their daily needs. 54 other households of Kambili- than the male population. The water scarcity was especially paramba got together in 1989, and, Literacy: 100 per cent; the Panchayat acute during the drought in 1985. At with a contribution of Rs. 4,500 each, has 3 high schools, 4 upper primary that time, there was only 1 Kerala formed a registered co-operative schools and 8 creches (anganvadis). Water Authority (KWA) scheme in the Society to provide drinking water for village providing uncertain and erratic Occupational Breakup: Cultivation their own needs. This was a piped water supply to just 1,600 of the 377; Agricultural labor 1,314; House- water supply scheme consisting of a 7,100 households. The villagers, fed hold industry 318; Construction 1,927; similar intake well, pumpset, over- up with the KWA scheme, picketed the Other workers 7,550; Marginal work- ers 1,095; Non-workers 31,817. Gram Panchayat (GP) office, demand- The Panchayati Raj ing drinking water schemes. This led to Institutional (PRI) the GP promising to provide drinking dent, Mr. Babu Parassari, the Olavanna Structure water schemes in the village. This com- villagers resolved to meet their drinking mitment led to the commissioning of the water requirements themselves. THE PRI structure is a three-tiered first piped water scheme in 1987 in one: Zila Panchayat (district level), Vettuvedankunnu Ward of the Olavan- Block Panchayat (intermediate na Panchayat (see box on the Pan- The Private level) and Gram Panchayat (village chayati Raj Institutional Structure). This Response level). A district typically has several scheme was funded by Government Block Panchayats and each Block grants to the Block Panchayat. The Vet- Panchayat contains several Gram tuvedankunnu scheme consisted of an HE SCHEME initiated by the Panchayats (GP). Each GP, which intake well, an overhead tank, and GP generated a lot of interest comprises one or more villages, has pipelines to distribute drinking water, in the 3 villages. The GP Pres- several wards, which are electoral TT units for GP elections. There are through public standposts, to serve ident was acknowledged as a true 400 households. leader and his efforts to solve the also several hamlets within a vil- Since 1987, the GP and the Block drinking water problems of the GP lage, which are locally-recognized Panchayat have built 18 piped water applauded. The villagers realized that clusters of habitations. schemes, which provide drinking water local needs required local solutions. through public taps as well as house taps However, given the financial con- head tank and distribution system. to 1,362 families. The KWA also com- straints, which were discussed openly From 1991 onwards, several such pri- missioned 2 more schemes in 1990 and in the GP meetings, a retired school vate Societies have been formed and 1998 which serve 2,400 households. teacher had a novel idea in 1989. He similar small piped water supply However, the quality of service provided collected money from the community schemes commissioned. Today, there by the KWA has not met customer satis- and installed a small 1 HP pump with are 26 such private co-operative Soci- faction and spurred on by the GP Presi- an intake well to service 5 neighbor- eties operating in the GP and 6 more 2 ■ Societies are in the process of con- Extracts from the By-laws: The following extracts from the structing their schemes. The GP has by-laws of a private Society give an idea of the detailed institutional successfully shifted its role from being a provider to a facilitator and it has arrangement that has been worked out. performed the regulatory function to Meetings sustain and encourage this novel pro- ■ The date of the GBM will be intimated to all the members at least 3 days ject for the last 11 years. The GP does before the meeting. not provide any funds to these Soci- ■ The quorum is 50 per cent of the general body. eties, as capital costs or for the oper- ■ EC meeting dates and times must be intimated to EC members at least 24 ation and maintenance (O&M). It hours in advance. also needs to be noted that not a sin- ■ Members should inform the EC in writing if they cannot attend a meeting. gle private scheme has failed till ■ If a member is absent from 3 consecutive EC meetings without notice, the EC date. has the right to co-opt another member in his or her place, but has to obtain the approval of the GB within 3 months. ■ A copy of all rules of the Society, which has been signed by the Secretary Institutional and and adopted by the EC, must be made available to all members. Operational Finances ■ The Secretary is authorized to sign for expenses up to Rs. 100 a day. For Arrangements larger amounts, the Treasurer has the sanctioning authority. ■ Amounts exceeding Rs. 500 should not be kept in the custody of the Treasurer. ■ How Private Societies Start Any amount more than Rs. 500 must be deposited in a bank account in the name of the Secretary in a bank chosen by the EC. ■ The process of initiating a private The Treasurer has to present written accounts to the EC and the GB. piped water supply scheme is as follows. Dissolution of the Society ■ If for any reason the Society is dissolved, all assets of the Society shall be ■ After enlisting all households who handed over to another Registered Society with a similar mandate. wish to benefit from a piped water ■ The assets of the dissolved Society shall not be divided among the members supply scheme, the beneficiaries get in such an instance. together, draft their by-laws and regis- Household connections ter their co-operative Society (under ■ All members of a Society must permit other members to lay pipelines through the Co-operative Societies Act of their property.