DAY 3 - Reflections from the field visits by Sarat Panda

Dear Members,

I had the opportunity to visit two waterlogged villages i.e., Dokhandpur of Satyabadi Block and Parimadipur of Kanas Block of Puri district as a part of on-field learning exercise facilitated by Gender Community in collaboration with DM Community under the UNDP-AusAid supported Climate Change Adaptation Programme (2011-14). Both the villages have been witnessing recurrent flood and subsequent water logging. As reported, regular flooding, lack of drainage system, damage of water outlets/embankments, decreasing water carrying capacities of the river such as Luna, Daya, Bhargavi, Tadas and Makara  are some of the reasons for continuous water logging.

The problems faced by the community include non-availability & access of safe drinking water, lack of flood/cyclone shelter absence of livelihood options, migration, health and sanitation issues particularly women and children and water borne diseases.

Dokhandapur village has made an attempt to ensure safe drinking water to the communities. Facilitated by SWAD and RCDC, two local NGOs, the community has put its effort to renovate one pond and raised its boundary and fenced it. Small water purification centres has been set up and being managed by the community, it ensures clean drinking water to the village twice in a day.

Dokhandapur which had to consume un-portable pond water or saline tube well water till late has experienced several cases of diarrhoea,  skin diseases and other water borne diseases, is now getting clean portable water supplied through the water tanks. This is a positive initiative by the community through the catalytic support of the local NGOs and external agencies.

I am pleased to note that with the provision of the clean drinking water available since April 2013 the incidence of water borne diseases has been drastically reduced. The people are proud of their achievement. They have pledged to maintain the renovated pond (the soul drinking water source) through active community involvement.

Parimadipur (where there is no intervention of any project) of Kanas block has been facing the same set of problems. People in absence of portable drinking water are consuming water from the village pond, whose boundary is used as an open defecated area by village people, and the pond water is also used for other domestic and cattle bathing purposes. As reported by the community, there were currently three cases of children suffering from diarrhoea.  Besides unemployment, lack of alternative livelihood and lack of basic health facilities have further deteriorated the quality of life of people of Parimandipur.

The problem of continuous flooding and water logging will get aggravated with climate variable and change in the coming days. Reducing vulnerability and enhancing community resilient through adaptation to climate change is the ultimate answer.

I am sure that with replication of good practices of Dokhandapur, Parimandipur and other water logged villages can solve their drinking water problem. With little pro-activeness of the community, local administration and support from NGOs the affected communities of the area can address some of the problems caused by flooding and water logging.

Sarat Panda

O/O:Director, DM Division

Ministry of Home Affairs

Government of India