DAY 3 - Reflections from the field visits by Niranjan Sahu

Dear Members,

As part of our field visits under the learning event in Puri facilitated by the Gender Community, I was part of a team that visited Dokhandapur Village in Satyabadi block and Parimandipur village of Kanas block. Both the villages face the problem of water logging. The situation in these villages aggravate during flood. People of these villages also do not have access to safe and potable drinking water. Women fetch water from 2-3 km away. They often face indignity.

Both womem and children are vulnerable to water logging. Waterborne diseases are reported due to drinking of polluted water. No crop is possible during Kharif season; only one paddy crop is grown during Rabi season.

The situation in Dokhandapur has however changed due to initiatives taken by UNDP with local partners SWAD and RCDC. A rain water harvesting pond with a safe drinking water project has been installed. Safe potable drinking water is available since four months. It was also reported that there is no case of water borne diseases with children since last four months. Women too expressed that they have time which they can use for productive purpose. I feel that the drinking water project as seen in Dokhandapur can be replicated to nearby villages, after assessment.

Water logging is a problem in nearly 50 panchayats in Puri District. A comprehensive strategy with appropriate study may give the villagers a way out.

Best wishes,

Niranjan Sahu
Manager-GIS
Orissa Watershed Development Mission