Gujarat villages face acute water shortage

SURAT - Residents of several villages near Surat face acute water shortage and travel about five kilometres to get drinking water.

There are also certain neighbourhoods where the womenfolk have to walk as much as five kilometres to fetch water.

According to them, it is only once in a month that they get water at home.

Not all the houses are lucky. There are certain neighbourhoods in the region, which don’t receive water at all.

“When we go to people who get water at homes, they abuse us. They say they can’t give us water, as it is insufficient for them as well. We store water in roof head tanks, but after that water finishes, we face many problems. Even women folk travel up to five km to fetch water,” said Balubhai, Head, Village Council.

Water-borne diseases are common in the area as residents are forced to use contaminated water.

Residents complained that many a times they have brought to the notice of the concerned officials the hardships faced by them but all their efforts have been in vain.

“We are facing water crisis for years now. We get water only after one or one and a half month. We have complained so many times but nothing has been done so far,” said Pushpaben, a resident.

With summer season knocking on the door, the crisis only seems to aggravate in coming days.

Water crisis is not a new phenomenon in India. Many parts of the country experience water shortage. (ANI)