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People dig out ponds to solve
water woes in Gaya
by Surya Pratap Singh

     Gaya: Disappointed from several unsuccessful appeals to local administration about sorting out acute water shortage, people of Gaya have taken a unique initiative to dig new ponds and re-silting of the existing ones for a better water arrangement in the city. The initiative has evoked a huge response from people from all walks of life that include school children, household women and even jail inmates, who are contributing labour and money to prepare the ponds. "There is an extreme shortage of water. That's why we (the prisoners) have joined hands with women and children to make proper arrangements of water," said Raghuvansh Yadav, a jail inmate. The initiative has united one and all to confront the prevailing condition by all possible means. People from all walks of life are contributing their share in some or the other way. "People from all spheres including school kids, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and non governmental organisations are contributing labour in this mission. Some are contributing with finance. Those who are unable to contribute labour can serve the workers here with water and juice," Ravindra Kumar Pathak, a social activist. "One can also pay wages to the labourers who are contributing here. This is for a common purpose. Though we are getting help from the local administration but it is not under any government's scheme; neither the government has allotted money for this," Pathak added.

   The adopted methodology is expected to come as a major help for those individuals who have to travel several kilometres every day to fetch water. It is hoped once the digging of new ponds is done, it would end water woes. "Government doesn't seem concerned. If people take initiative by contributing labour as they have done in case of the Saryu pond, it will be a message for all other villagers. It is the villagers who have suffered the most. We walk only few metres to get water, other villagers have to walk as much as five to 10 kilometres," said a resident. While the villagers are enthusiastic to see their hard work paying off, they have become disenchanted with the government's lack of effort. Besides digging new ponds, work is also on for re-silting of around seven existing ponds across the city.
-May 17, 2006

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