Adivasis beat water scarcity with prudent management

In many a tribal habitation in the erstwhile undivided Adilabad district, this summer is no different from any other in the past in terms of water scarcity. However, the tiny Adivasi hamlet of Kannepalli in Lingapur mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district presents a completely contrasting picture. Villagers here are assured of continuous water supply throughout the summer as their only source of water is kept well-recharged.

The Raj Gond aboriginal people of this hamlet of Jamuldhara gram panchayat, located about 20 km from Jainoor mandal headquarters, have adopted a simple method of water conservation and have saved themselves of the troubles they faced all these years. The method is to guide all spilt water into the local kui or open well, which keeps it recharged.

“Instead of collecting water at the solar-powered tube well located about 30 meters away, we do it at the kui through an extended pipe. The pots are placed on the wooden platform on one side of the well, so all spilt water drops into the well itself,” explained Kanaka Buchiram, a teacher.

The defunct overhead water tank and the failed tube wells around the hamlet of 25 households located at the foot of a beautiful hillock are a testimony to the problems that the ethnic people faced during summer in the past. The solar-powered bore well was made functional only a month ago when other sources had nearly dried up.

“A lot of water got wasted when individuals came to collect water at different times. The solar-powered motor was kept running for most part of the day which resulted in huge quantum of water going waste,” the teacher recalled in his observation of the operations.

“We therefore, extended the pipe till the kui and fixed timings for collecting water. Generally, the motor is operated for 90 minutes each in the morning and evening but, even if the motor is kept running when not required by mistake, the water goes into the well itself,” Kanaka Limba Rao added.

In the past, summer months had the villagers collecting water from an open well in an agriculture field. In 2005, the present open well was dug but it used to dry up by March.

The overhead reservoir constructed in 2012 never became functional as water used to leak from it. “There is no guarantee that water will run in the Mission Bhagiratha pipeline,” observed a sceptical Kanaka Jangu, the septuagenarian village head or Patel as he expressed happiness on the development in his village.