Siraha. There are 60 Dalit families living in the Tenwapatti settlement in Bariyarpatti Rural Municipality (4) of the district. Nearly 400 people have been living in this settlement, which is located near the postal road to the south.
After the construction of a well here two months ago in partnership with the rural municipality and the Dalit Jan Kalyan Youth Club Lahan, the villagers dependent on a well have been relieved of the problem of drinking water. So far, 48 wells have been provided in various Dalit settlements in Bariyarpatti Rural Municipality.
‘Until two months ago, the locals here were dependent on a well for drinking water. The water from the well was used for drinking, washing hands, bathing, and washing dishes,’ said local Adhaniya Devi Saday. She says that now the water problem has been solved after the construction of the well. .
‘We had to stand in line since morning to wash our hands and fill the water needed for household purposes. We had to endure a lot of pain and frustration for water’, Sadaya said, recalling the past. ‘Now, 10 water taps have been built in the settlement. Thank you to them for solving the drinking water problem.’
This water tap was provided by the organization and the municipality about two months ago, said local Amarika Kumari Sadaya. She said, ‘Before that, dirty water came from the well in the settlement. Even though it was dirty, we were forced to drink it. Now, clean water is coming from the tubewell that has been installed.’ She shared her experience that earlier, when there was only one well, it was more difficult to bathe.
A similar problem existed in the Dalit settlement of Khoksi in Ward No. 2 of Bariyarpatti. Phoolkumari Paswan of the settlement, which has forty families, informed that two water taps have now been installed in the settlement. According to her, some other water taps are in the process of being constructed.
Similarly, six water taps have been constructed in the Dalit settlement of Nargi in Ward No. 1. Locals say that it is easier to use water during the summer. Lalu Prasad Pokharel, program coordinator of the Dalit Jan Kalyan Youth Club, said that after seeing the extreme shortage of water in the Dalit settlements here, the water taps were provided under the Integrated Livelihood Improvement Project.
She said, ‘We have helped them after realizing the compulsion of the people of such settlements to depend on water from a single well. Along with this, we have also provided other assistance for their livelihood.’ According to coordinator Pokharel, 48 water taps have been provided in various Dalit settlements of Bariyarpatti Rural Municipality.
He said that the cost of the water taps is Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000. Coordinator Pokharel informed that under the project, the project is playing a role in increasing the livelihood, income and production of Dalit and marginalized communities, improving sanitation, hygiene and food behavior, and empowering community groups.
Ramjulum Mandal, Head of the Health Branch of the Rural Municipality, expressed his commitment to continuously support the poor Dalit community by collaborating and coordinating with various organizations.
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