Awareness campaign on Safe drinking water, water management and conservation was organized by Implementation Support Agency (ISA-JJM) & PHE Department of North 24 Parganas at Durgamandap Sahid Smriti Vidyalay & Durgamandap Village under Sandeshkhali-II Block, North 24 Parganas on 31st August 2024 and 1st September, 2024. Apart from drinking water supply to every rural household an another important objective of Jal Jeevan Mission is to generate awareness among the community about the importance of water. Durgamandap Gram Panchayat is situated in an island of Sundarban. So, there is a huge scarcity of drinking water in that Gram Panchayat because island is surrounded by saline water. In this situation water wastage is a big challenge for PHED.
For this purpose, an awareness program conducted by ISA on 31st August, 2024 at Durgamandap Sahid Smriti Vidyalay. Students were divided into groups. Pamphlet were distributed, basic survey on water usage by students was also conducted. More than 70 students were participated in that survey during this awareness program. The program was very successful. Through this campaign, water conservation becomes clearer to students. Many of them had shown interest to took proactive steps in reducing water waste.
In continuation of the awareness program next day on 1st September, 2024 ISA conducted the awareness programme with the villagers. Clean water is a very important component of our life, so we need to conserve water for future safety. It the only solution to save water that water should not waste it unnecessarily. If we save water; we will save life and save whole world on the earth. We should join our hands together and make a promise of using water according to need only without contaminating it.\
Students and community People activities during the awareness sessions
- Many of them ask residents to sign a Water Conservation Pledge at move-in and remind them of this pledge throughout the year
- Residents are educated about and reminded of water conservation efforts.
- Kitchen gardening with grey water.
- 5-minute timers will soon be placed inside their showers
- Educational/cautionary posters in their laundry facilities and elsewhere
- Educational posters regarding water conservation are found in all dining halls and other student high-traffic areas
- The formation of sustainability-themed communities is on the rise
- Said no to water wastage (Car Washing, illegal connection etc.)
Jal Bachao Committee formation:
ISA also took an initiative to build up the ownership among the villagers regarding water and create a Jal Bachao Committee with the women. This committee will play a vital role against water wastage, water conservation, illegal connection, safe handling of Functional Household Tap Connection provided by PHED under JJM etc. ISA targeted village women because a woman who carries water long distances every day does not need to be told it is hard work. But she may not feel she has the power to change that.
When people see the need for a reliable and safe water supply as a problem shared by all, they can begin to work together to make changes. Raising community awareness is often the first stage in making changes, and usually involves a group of people raising community awareness together.
ISA conducted FGD with women and conducted different session during the FGD. Such as – Together with the people responsible for the water, list all the water sources in the area. What do people say about drinking water quality and quantity? How much water is used every day? Are different sources used for drinking, cooking, bathing, watering livestock, farming, and other needs? Is there enough water for all these needs? Is there a water source or water storage for emergencies?
Resource mapping was also done by the community people, they make a map of local water sources and sources of contamination. The map showed where the water sources are in relation to people’s homes and to sources of contamination. Use different colors to show safe water sources and contaminated sources.
Some points were pointed during the session :-
- improve the ways water is collected
- fix broken pipes and pumps
- protect water sources upstream
- find new ways to protect and save water
Initiative from Gram Panchayat and VWSC:
Durgamandap Gram Panchayat of North 24 Parganas District extended the helping hand for smooth implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission and the VWSC committee of Durgamandap Gram Panchayat assured that they are looking after the implementation work directly. For any kind of obstacle, they will intervene. The Gram Panchayat Pradhan is also satisfied with the work of PHED and also thankful for implementation quickly.
ISA team conducted several meeting and training with VWSC and they assure to Pradhan that they will conduct more training for strengthening of Village Level Water and Sanitation Committee members and also approach for converging the Jal Bachao committee with VWSC. “West Bengal Public Health Engineering Department and Durga Mandap Gram Panchayat are equally collaborating to achieve the Jal Jeevan Mission’s goal of providing safe drinking water to every household in the village. Our aim is that the mothers and sisters of my area should not have any problem with drinking water. The work of Jal Jeevan Mission is being completed very quickly and the Durga Mandap Panchayat is helping appropriately. Thanks to Jal Jeevan Mission for bringing smiles to the faces of mothers in our village”, said Laxman Adhikari , Pradhan of Durgamandap GP.
