True Partner’s Success

In Goptara revenue village of Gram Panchayat Bonga, development Block Tharali of District Chamoli,  “User Water & Sanitation Sub Committee” was constituted on 30th December, 2006 consisting of total ten members. Mr. Mohan Singh (Ex Army Soldier) was elected as treasurer of committee and the then Gram Pradhan, Mrs. Sarswati Devi as chairperson by a general consensus, Sankalp Samiti assisted as the support organization in the process.  As per the Terms of Reference of the agreement signed with the support organisation for  the planning phase of the program, different training programs were  organized through which all the member of committee learned and understood about the different components of the program and their role explicitly.

By the virtue of increased level of awareness, community performed the task of finalizing the selection of water source, regular monthly measurement of source yield, site selection for roughening filter & CWR (Clear Water Reservior) and Stand Posts along with prioritizing the remedial measures for conservation and protection of proposed water source through many well facilitated formal and informal meetings conducted in the village. On starting of implementation phase the Purchase Sub Committee, which was constituted earlier   in the planning phase has procured all the non local material with the general consent of villagers. Mr. Mohan Singh Rawat took advises and guidance from District Implementing Agency for which he organized some visits to their office and also had telephonic conversation with the engineers of the district unit.  All the structure under the water scheme were constructed satisfactorily with appropriate quality and that too with in the stipulated time frame of the agreement period. Before the completion of the construction works the training for operation and maintenance has also been imparted to the user committee members by a team of officials of District unit.

All the users of the village agreed to pay an amount of Rs. 20 per household per month as operation and maintenance tariff for using public stand posts. In fact prior to the fixing  of monthly tariff the  committee prepared   a detailed operation and maintenance calendar consisting of all  the essential works  such as chlorination, cleaning of filter unit, sanitary survey of the water source, monthly honorarium to scheme maintenance worker to  conducting an open community wide  meeting as public disclosure for annual budget and expenditure.

According to villagers, ‘This is the first project of its kind, wherein all the functions have been  transparently performed by the Gram Panchayat & the user committee moreover  all the work done are of good quality, there is  no dispute and complaint about the scheme. The newly elected Gram Pradhan Mr. Bhanu Prakash supported the committee without any discrimination though most of the works were done by his predecessor.