Start Date: 2007-01-01

Completion Date: 2008-03-31

Technology Used:

Water is pumped to an overhead water tank from sanitary dug wells where possible. In hilly areas, mountain streams and perrennial springs are tapped using the gravity flow technology to bring water to a habitation.

Phases:

The project will be executed in one phase.

Community Organization:

A village comes to a consensus such that all families of the community will participate in the programme after a process of dialogue and negotiations between Gram Vikas and the community that may take a few months to a few years. Once the community has agreed to undertake MANTRA, they plan how to form the corpus fund of Rs.1000 per household where the better-off pay more and the poorer less. Once the corpus is collected, the community together with Gram Vikas plans the construction of the toilets and bathrooms and also creates a plan for operations and maintenance (O&M) by identifying common resources such as horticulture plantations, forests or ponds for pisciculture that can be developed to meet all or part of the O&M costs once the system is commissioned.

The community drives the implementation of the programme. The community makes the bricks and collects all the local materials necessary for construction like sand and rubble for foundations. Villagers construct the toilets and bathrooms led by trained masons. From each village, youth, both men and women, are trained in masonry during the preparatory phase of the programme. The landless, typically the poorest of the poor, are given priority. The masons are assured work for at least one year and a survey conducted by Gram Vikas found that masons trained under Gram Vikas are able to command significantly higher wages as skilled workers than they could as unskilled labour and also work more days of the year. The community builds the overhead water tank and lays the network of pipes. One or two village youth are trained as pump operators and to make repairs to the system that may be needed.

This general body elects a Village Executive Committee (VEC), with 50% of the positions reserved for women, which is registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860. The VEC takes over responsibility for the project incrementally. Once the system is commissioned, the VEC ensures O&M systems are functioning including monthly household collections to meet electricity expenses for water pumping where electricity is used. The VEC also imposes a system of fines for open defecation anywhere near the village or unclean toilets to further ensure complete behaviour change.

Gram Vikas is in constant dialogue with potential villages around those where it is already working and in new areas. Village selection largely depends on each village’s response and willingness to commit to the programme. The project can be implemented in almost any area and indeed Gram Vikas has implemented in extremely remote areas, inaccessible by road and unelectrified.

Once a village is selected, a water source is identified. We have developed a gravity flow system to forgo the problem of water pumping in unelectrified villages where a suitable water source can be located in a nearby hill. The location of the toilets, bathrooms and water tower are done together with the villagers with the technical guidance of Gram Vikas staff.

Government Interaction:

Ancillary activities:

Other Issues:

The programme involves each and every family in the village without exception. 100% consensus ensures that even the poorest and most marginalized benefits from the same level of service, and has an equal say in deciding how the project should be implemented. This minimizes the chances of the systems established falling into disrepair or disuse. In villages where the programme is established, the village institutions represent interests of all sections, and attempts are made to develop necessary capacities so that they are able to manage conflicts. The village committees have proportionate representation of all caste and class groups in the community. Gram Vikas stays three to five years to build capacities of women and the excluded, so that they can participate on an equal level.. For the first time the poorest woman, the widow, or the dalit (untouchable) feels that s/he has a voice, which will be heard and which matters.