Nashik: Severe water scarcity has begun to plague the tribal hamlets of Payarwadi, Zhugrewadi, and Khadakwadi in the Igatpuri taluka – and it is only the month of March. As the summer heat intensifies, women in these hamlets are forced to trek half a kilometre to fetch muddy water from a natural spring located near the Waki Dam. The tribal residents are facing immense hardship, compelled to dig new shallow pits daily to extract and consume water mixed with mud.
Although it is claimed that infrastructure work was undertaken in this region under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' (Water Life Mission), questions are being raised at the local level regarding the actual implementation of the scheme, given that water is still failing to flow through the taps.
The plight of these tribal women, seen scooping muddy water from stagnant pools, garnered administrative attention only after videos of the situation went viral on social media, and local media outlets took cognisance of the issue. Following this, MNS activist Manoj Chavan took immediate action. He contacted tribal social worker Sitaram Gawanda, and together they initiated water tanker supplies to all three hamlets.
Currently, water is being supplied to these three tribal settlements regularly via tankers. It has been announced that this tanker service will continue until the onset of the monsoon season. The tribal residents' faces show the relief of having water, and they thank those who helped.
However, this assistance remains merely temporary. The administration has yet to take any concrete or long-term measures to address this issue. With incomplete projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission and the persistent failure of water to flow through the taps, demands for the administration to implement urgent, permanent solutions for a sustainable water supply for the tribal community are gaining momentum.
Once again, a distressing reality has come to light: even in a taluka like Igatpuri, known for its numerous dams, tribal communities are forced to wander desperately in search of water during the month of March. While the influence of social media has facilitated temporary relief, there is a growing expectation that the administration will take this matter seriously and ensure a sustainable water supply for these tribal hamlets.
