Hygiene to harmony: Why Wazirpur is a model village for rest of Gurugram

GURUGRAM: Wazirpur village is all set to earn four stars under the Haryana government’s seven-star rainbow scheme. With 530 points out of 700, Wazirpur is the highest-rated village in the district and the only to get four stars even as 25 other villages will be awarded three stars on July 13.

The stars have been awarded for sex ratio, maintaining peace and harmony, environment preservation and good governance.

The star ranking is based on seven criteria, including gram panchayat, sex ratio, education and dropouts, hygiene and sanitation, peace and harmony, environment preservation, good governance, and social participation. A total of 100 points can be scored in each and a perfect score earns one star.

Wazirpur gram panchayat includes Hamirpur and Meoka villages.

The village has 3,050 residents, including 1,591 men and 1459 women, taking the sex ratio to 950 girls per 1,000 boys (2017 data).

The village is dominated by Dalits while upper-caste Rajputs form the second majority community.

It is well connected to Gurugram and other industrial areas by the Pataudi Road and many of the villagers commute to these areas for work. Others practise farming on their land or work as property dealers as the area witnesses rapid infrastructural growth.

The village has a number of under-construction buildings, clean lanes with interlocked tiles and cars outside most residences.

Apart from that, it has been open-defecation free for some time now.

The villagers planted 900 trees last year as part of its environment conservation plan. Talking about other measures, Sarpanch Sher Singh Chauhan said, “We have completely prohibited stubble burning in the village. Anyone doing so, will have to pay penalties.”

The panchayat members claimed that the water and power supply had become regular. Recently, water pipes and power cables were replaced. “We get water at fixed hours from 7am to 9am and 4pm to 9pm. Earlier, we used to get water from the well or rely on an irregular supply of muddy water,” said Pavitra, a 48-year-old housewife in the village.

The village also has 33 solar streetlights and solar panels were recently installed in a couple of houses. “We have 24x7 power — a big thing, considering the city is struggling to get the same,” said Poonam Yadav, a village panchayat member.

The panchayat gives out a cash reward to students scoring above 95% marks in any class. This year, eight students received Rs 5,000 each. The amount has been increased to Rs 7,000 for the next academic year.

However, the village school provides education till Class 8 and students have to go to the Garhi Harsaru school, which is three kms away, for higher education.

“The village school is over 70 years old but it has not been upgraded yet. We have 270 kids in the school but the education department officials said that the student strength has to be increased,” said Dharambir Bodwal, another villager.

Also, youths taking to drugs and alcohol has become a problem in the village. “We are working on the issue and have requested everyone to report on youths found under the influence of alcohol or substance abuse. We will counsel them,” said Dharam Singh Chauhan, a 70-year-old villager.