“Even the health workers at the health post struggle to wash their hands due to the lack of water. This is a serious problem.
You see, the water source is far from our homes. It is not even on this hill. It is behind it. They talk of bringing water from another source but that is what it has become, just talk. So for now we have to rely on the Talseri Burne water source although the depleting water is not enough for us.
The water reservation tank that has been built is also empty. It has not come into operation. Only some people know the reason. So for now, the pipes bring us water from the source. And you must know the risks involved in that. The land here is loose and when there is heavy rainfall, everything collapses and the pipes are destroyed.
We are probably the worst affected ward in the whole of Kalikot. I think there is 1 water outlet for 30/40 households with big families and animals. There are toilets but no water. Drinking water is scarce so people remain thirsty sometimes.
Due to the scarcity of water, we have children that become sick regularly. Our health and hygiene has been compromised. I think the officers in the government center and wards need to work on a system that brings enough water. And then they can build their tanks and taps. What use are these taps without water? What use are these toilets without water?”
Purna Damai, Raduneta, Palata-2, Kalikot
“स्वास्थ चौकीकै स्वास्थकर्मीहरूलाई हात धुन पानी छैन यहाँ । पानीको कति ठूलो समस्या छ होला, आफै बुझ्नुस् ।
पानीको मुहान गाउँबाट निकै टाढा छ । यो डाँडा हैन, त्यसको पछाडी छ मुहान । अब अर्को मुहानबाट पानी ल्याउनुपर्छ भन्ने बेलाबेलामा सुनिन्छ । तर ती सबै गफै मात्र हुन् । त्यसैले अहिले हामीहरू तल्सेरी बुर्नेको मुहानमा भर परेकाछौँ । पानीको सतह घट्दै गएको त्यो मुहान हामीलाई अहिले नै प्रयाप्त छैन ।
पानी संचित गरेर राख्नको लागि बनाइएको ट्याङ्की पनि खाली छ । सञ्चालनमा नै आएन । किन भन्ने कुरा केही मान्छेहरूलाई मात्रै थाहा छ । त्यसैले अहिले हामीलाई मुहानबाट पाइपमा पानी आउने गरेको छ । त्यसमा कति जोखिम हुन्छ भन्ने तपाइँलाई थाहा नै होला । यहाँको जमिन अलि खुकुलो छ । अलि ठूलो पानी पर्र्यो भने सबै झर्छ अनि पाइपहरू ध्वस्त हुन्छन्।
कालिकोट जिल्लामा नै सबैभन्दा प्रभावित वडा हाम्रो नै होला । ३०/४० घरधुरीको लागि एउटा मात्रै धारो छ । ठूलो परिवार अनि वस्तुभाउलाई कसरी पुर्र्याउनु? शौचालय छ तर पानी छैन । पिउने पानीको अभावमा धेरै मानिसहरू काकाकुल हुन्छन् यहाँ ।
पानीको अभावको कारणले गर्दा हाम्रा छोराछोरीहरू बिरामी भइरहन्छन् । हाम्रो स्वास्थ्य तथा सरसफाइ राम्रो छैन । सरकारी अड्डा र वडा कार्यालयका हाकिमसाबहरूले यथ्यस्ट पानी आपुर्ती गर्ने प्रणालीमा काम गर्नुपर्छ भन्ने मलाई लाग्छ । अनि त्यसपछि बल्ल तिनीहरूको ट्याङ्की र धाराहरू बनाउन् न। पानी नै छैन भने धाराको के काम? पानी नै छैन भने शौचालयको के काम?”
– पुर्ण दमाइ, पालाता-2, कालिकोट
Picture: Man standing in front of his house.
