Nashik: Severe Water Crisis In Igatpuri Villages; Women, Children Trek Hills For Water In Scorching Heat

Nashik: Water scarcity has reached a critical stage in the remote regions of Bhagatwadi and Bakulwadi within Igatpuri taluka. Due to the lack of adequate water sources within the villages, young children and women are compelled to undertake arduous journeys scaling hills and traversing rugged terrain to fetch water, enduring hours of toil under the scorching sun.

The villagers are forced to rely on a single, dilapidated old well. Each family requires four to five trips a day to collect enough water for their daily needs. Women, often accompanied by small children, must sit in queues under the shade of trees for hours on end, waiting for their turn. While waiting for their turn to fetch water, the children frequently grow weary and begin to cry.

It appears that the implementation of the Central Government’s ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ scheme has been a complete failure in this region. Although a pipeline network has been laid within the village, the taps remain dry. Consequently, the villagers are enduring immense hardship and inconvenience.

Expressing her frustration, an elderly woman remarked, “We have spent our entire lives fetching water. We only hope that the next generation, at the very least, will be spared from this torment.”

The villagers have demanded that the administration pay immediate attention to this crisis. They emphasised the urgent need for the proper implementation of the water supply scheme in this area. Amidst the preparations for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela, during which the focus remains largely on the city and tourism sectors, a growing sentiment prevails among the villagers that basic amenities in rural areas are being neglected.

The district administration has assured the villagers that immediate remedial measures will be taken to address the water scarcity in this region, stating that work on the water supply scheme will be expedited shortly. However, the villagers have yet to experience any tangible relief on the ground.