A StreamIn The Desert

The panchayat was unmoved by villager’s protests. In fact, Aminaben recalls how rivalry between two groups during the panchayat polls led to the central tubewell being damaged. In 1991-92, the Ahmedabad Action Study and Research Group (ASAG), an ngo working with rural women, initiated self-help groups in the region. Aminaben was among the first to join. This motivated other women in Rupal.

They decided to clean the old village well and collected Rs 3,000. Aminaben thought the authorities would chip in with a few more thousands and the well would be revived. But she ran into red tape and apathy. The women were asked to deposit the money with the taluk vikas officer who would inspect the well and then decide on action. But no timeframe was set. The group decided to take up the matter on their own. They went back to ASAG, deposited the Rs 3,000 and took a loan of Rs 6,000. This was used to hire labourers to clean the well. In just ten days, the well was restored. However, this was not a permanent solution and so the women folk decided to go back to the district administration to push for the repair of the village tubewell, says Rupal resident Sakina.

Officials suggested linking the government tubewell situated 1 km away to the village well. But the women didn’t agree because they knew the source dried up every summer. They insisted the village tubewell be repaired and agreed to maintain it. The administration gave in. A pani committee was formed with 27 women across caste lines and Rs 3 was collected from everyone in the village on an advance basis for two months. The profit from their milk cooperative was also used to maintain the tubewell. Seeing their commitment, the power ministry waived the pending electricity bill of Rs 4,700.

The state water control board now wants to replicate this rare example of the Rupal women’s group in other districts.

Contact Antoday Mahila Sangh, (Opposite Hassan Ali School), Dholka, Ahmedabad. Tel:02714221773