Mumbai: College staff, students team up with NGO to bring water to Konkan villages

The staff and students of a Mumbai-based college got together to raise funds and joined hands with an NGO - Jal Foundation, for the drilling of two bore well projects in Rajwel and Nive Ramwadi villages in Khed taluka and are planning to extend the initiative with more villages.

Water shortage in Konkan belt

Many villages situated in remote areas of the Konkan belt suffer from water shortages from January to June every year despite having excess rainfall during the monsoon, this is owing to the inadequate initiatives and services taken by the government and local governing bodies towards rainwater harvesting systems. The villagers, especially women, travel several kilometers in search of water for their daily use. 

In a bid to support the problems faced by these villagers, the Principal of Maharashtra College, Dr. Sirajuddin Chougle, collaborated with Jal Foundation and encouraged his staff and students to raise funds for the noble cause.

"Each bore well project cost approximately around ₹1 lakh and through the coordination of the staff, students, friends, and family, we have managed to install these wells and have raised enough funds for more such projects in the future. I want my students to actively participate in such activities which teach them to give back to society," said Dr. Chougle. 

Struggle for water despite abundant rainfall

While talking about the water problem in these villages, the founder of Jal Foundation, Nitin Jadhav, said that it is disheartening to see people struggling for water during the summers even though they receive abundant rainfall in the monsoon, "Currently there are water tankers sent to the villages once or twice a week but that is not enough, the government should come up with permanent solutions for these villages, however, through funds and sponsorships we are drilling bore wells in these villages which gives them some respite from their daily water struggle."