India/Water WEB
Metadata
- India/Water WEB
- February 28, 2024
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: India/Water HEADLINE: India Makes Headway on Goal to Install Taps in Rural Households TEASER: Judicious use of water in water-stressed country will be key to ensuring ambitious program’s sustainability PUBLISHED AT: Wednesday, 02/28/2024 at BYLINE: Anjana Pasricha CONTRIBUTOR: ASSIGNING EDITOR: pcd DATELINE: New Delhi VIDEOGRAPHER: Rakesh Kumar PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: pcd, wpm VIDEO SOURCE: Original PLATFORMS: TRT: VID APPROVED BY: TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: The sentences in italics are for radio script)) ((INTRO)) [[In India, water taps have been installed in millions of village homes in recent years as part of an ambitious nationwide program to provide a water connection to every household in the country’s vast rural areas. In the water-stressed country, it’s a boon for rural communities. Anjana Pasricha looks at how the drive has helped residents in one village in North India.]] ((Video: Devi going to fetch water, women carrying pots to fill water, people filling water from a pipe, two girls filling water in bottle, opening tap)) ((NARRATOR)) Babli Devi was among millions in Indian villages who had to walk long distances from their homes to fill water from community taps and other sources for washing and cooking. ((For Radio: Babli Devi, a resident of Kunsal village in Himachal Pradesh state of North India said she had to go very far in the morning, afternoon and evening, often making two or three trips each time.)) ((Babli Devi, Kunsal village, Female in Hindi)) “I had to go very far in the morning, afternoon and evening, often making two or three trips each time.” ((Video: Lal carrying bucket, filling buck from tap)) ((NARRATOR)) It was the same struggle in every home in Kunsal village in Himachal Pradesh state. ((For Radio: Biri Lal said their family needed five to six buckets in a day for bathing and cleaning. Accordi ng to him fetching water was as good as doing a job.)) ((Biri Lal, Kunsal resident, Male in Hindi)) “We needed five to six buckets a day for bathing and cleaning. Fetching water was as good as doing a job.” ((Video: Devi walking, Lal standing next to bucket being filled, girls walking with bottles, lady attaching pipe to tap, opening tap, pipes)) ((NARRATOR)) That decades-long trek ended for Devi and Lal a few months ago when a tap was installed in every home in their village under an ambitious $ 50 billion nationwide program to provide piped water to all rural households. ((Video: People standing next to tap, village homes, woman washing utensil)) ((NARRATOR)) Only one in six of India’s 200 million households in rural areas had access to water in their homes until five years ago. ((Video: Devi walking with water, workers laying pipes, pipes)) That number has increased to about three in every four households as engineers have raced in recent years to lay a network of pipes. ((Video: Workers laying pipes, shot of Himachal Pradesh, stream, dry tap)) The task is not easy. Himachal Pradesh state, where Devi’s village is located for example, gets ample monsoon rains, but the water flows downstream in the hilly region creating shortages in summer. Winters present other problems. ((For Radio: Suresh Mahajan, Chief Engineer in the Water Resources Department is overseeing the project in Dharamshala district where Kunsal is located.)) ((Suresh Mahajan, Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Dharamshala, Male in English)) “Merely providing tap was not sufficient, we had to have regular and potable water to every household. Challenge was very big because we have very remote areas, we have areas with temperature up to minus 20 degrees centigrade, minus 35 degrees centigrade in some regions in tribal areas, so this was a tough job.” ((Video: Several shots of water tanks, woman filling water from pipe, shot of Sharma)) ((NARRATOR)) This network of storage tanks with a treatment plant will supply about 10 villages. Providing clean water is critical in a country where water-borne diseases are rampant. ((For Radio: Rakesh Sharma of the Water Resources Department said that they provide 70 liters water per person per day in every household. They can give more, not less.)) ((Rakesh Sharma, Water Resources Department, Male in Hindi)) “We provide 70 liters water per person per day in every household. We can give more, not less.” ((Video: Lal filling bucket, water flowing into bucket from tap)) ((NARRATOR)) Having a tap in the house has transformed lives for these villagers. ((For Radio: Biri Lal said now they have no problem. It feels good to fill water in the house.)) ((Biri Lal, Kunsal resident, Male in Hindi)) “Now there is no problem. It feels good.” ((Video: Devi in kitchen, giving water to cows)) Devi’s daily task of tending to household chores is lighter. ((For Radio: She said fetching water used to really increase her work. Now she gets some rest.)) ((Babli Devi, Kunsal resident, Female in English)) “Earlier fetching water used to really increase my work. Now I get some rest.” ((Video: Workers laying pipes, pipes, water pump, tap)) However, experts warn that as piped water becomes more widely available, authorities will have to ensure its judicious use in one of the world’s most water stressed countries where shortages are worsening. ((Video: Akshay Kumar filling bucket, studying)) ((For Radio: Akshay Kumar, an undergraduate student, knows the value of saving water – it gives him two more hours to study. He said he is cautious about not wasting water and if he sees someone’s tap is open, he shuts it.)) This student knows the value of saving water – it gives him two more hours to study. ((Akshay Kumar, Undergraduate student, Male in Hindi)) “We don’t waste water and if I see someone’s tap is open, I shut it.” ((Video: Water tank, man working, tap, woman closing tap, opening tap, people waiting to fill water, tap with water flowing.)) Building a culture of water conservation will be key in ensuring that these taps don’t run dry. ((Anjana Pasricha, VOA News, New Delhi))
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Subtitles / Dubbing Available No
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date February 28, 2024 07:17 EST
- Byline Anjana Pasricha
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English