Report: Integrated Drinking Water Project in village Mohadi Dist Jalgaon, Maharashtra.

Providing drinking water and fighting water scarcity in the drought prone village of Mohadi. We have implemented a water system to aid them in their water crisis.

1. The excavation of the trench for underground pipeline of 1,500 feet in length has been completed.
2. The underground pipeline work of raising main pipeline of 1,500 feet has been completed with the installation of one non-return valve and 3 air valves.
3. The excavation of the new drinking water well has been completed. The people have purchased the electric pump. Due to the non-connection of electricity the project has been stopped.
4. The physical implementation work of the project has been partially completed (90%) end of September 2011. The amount of the electric connection charges given towards the water motor pump has been reimbursed by the Water Committee of Mohadi to WOTR.

All other aspects of the drinking water project has been completed but only due to the non-availability of the electric connection to the water pump, this project has come to a standstill.

- As informed above, Mohadi drinking water project is almost completed but has been stuck as the electric connection has not been recd from the MSEB (electricity board). This has been a major problem and also due to the election of the new members in the Gram Panchayat. The old GP members had initiated the project and were responsible for the completion of the project.

- A new GP council has been elected last year (2010). This GP council is not supportive and due to political party problems, the new council is not taking any proactive role in obtaining the electric connection to the electric pump.

- Insipte of continuous follow-up by the project office, Ahmednagar and Dhule regional office, with the new GP and village community, this problem has not been solved.

- Efforts were made by the WOTR team for mutual understanding to obtain the electric connection. Also a warning and a deadline (end Sept 2011) was given to the villagers to complete the project but no positive response was received from the villagers. Hence WOTR had asked the Water Committee to reimburse the balance amount of Rs. 46,211/- (USD 988) .

- The water committee has reimbursed the amount USD 988 to WOTR in Oct 2011 and the same will be refunded to the BPR.

- The old GP members have taken the initiative to resolve this problem through passing of the 'No confidence' motion against the new elected council members. Also they have taken the responsibility to complete this project in future.

- The internal politics of the village has created a hurdle in completion of the development activity of the village. Strategies should be worked out to solve this problem efficiently.

- To explore the possibility of electric connection in the project village, prior to the implementation of the project activity.

ACE is the partner NGO of WOTR and Sampada Trust (a sister concern of WOTR for women’s empowerment and micro finance). The ACE is mainly involved in SHG promotion and linkages with bank for credit, national environmental awareness campaigns, national project on organic farming, capacity building of women and rural community, specially organizing trainings to elected women members of the Gram Panchayat (local self government) to build their capacities in village self governance.

At present the NGO has 14 staff members including 7 women staff.