As the scorching sun wreaks havoc along with severe water scarcity in the state and Pune district, a gram panchayat in the district has issued a strange order mandating fines. The new unofficial rule imposes a Rs 100 fine on women who collect more than two pots of water, even though the village is grappling with an acute water shortage.
This stands in sharp contrast to Pune city, where thousands of liters of water were wasted in the past two days due to pipeline bursts.
The villagers are now frustrated due to this issued. It has added to their struggle to meet their basic water needs amid the ongoing crisis.
According to a report by Saam TV, in Padsul village, located in Khed taluka of Pune district, women are walking eveyrday long distances through hilly terrain to collect water.
Speaking with the Free Press Journal, Khed Block Development Officer Vishal Shinde said, "The Gram Panchayat did not pass this order officially, but the villagers have taken this decision collectively. We visited the village on Wednesday, and the pending works under the Jal Jeevan Mission will be completed at the earliest, and the water supply will be started for the village."
When asked whether the water would be provided to the village by tankers, Shinde said that he is currently out and will speak with the concerned officials and provide the remaining details later.
No consistent water supply
For the past two months, the villagers have been forced to draw water from a deep well due to water shortages. Already a daily struggle, the lengthy and taxing trip to fetch water has been made even more difficult by the new penalty for gathering more than the two pots allowed.
Under this new regulation, any woman who takes a third pot of water will have to pay Rs 100 in fine. The scenario has led the people to wonder why there is still no consistent supply of water in the area even if there are three dams.
The problem is further compounded by the pending Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, which has been delayed for three years.
Villagers are now questioning why they are being penalized for attempting to obtain water when access is so restricted, as water is guarded from 7 AM to 10 PM to prevent waste. They are wondering if those enforcing fines or those ignoring adequate water infrastructure are the true offenders in an area experiencing acute water scarcity.
