TELAMWADI, India- In a village close to India's financial hub, women and children engage in the daily routine of drawing water from a well using buckets. They then filter the water through strainers into various containers before carrying it back home.
This scene, witnessed by Reuters during a recent visit to the region, repeats itself every morning during the summer. Residents of the area, located just 150 km (93 miles) from Mumbai, must walk over a mile to reach the well and collect water, as the well is replenished daily by water tankers due to its dried-up state.
Villagers residing near a nearby dam, which supplies water to the city, experience a shortage of water from March to May each year. During this period, temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) until the arrival of monsoon rains in June, providing relief.
Ashok Shinde, a resident of a village housing approximately 700 people engaged in poultry and livestock farming, expressed that all the water is directed to Mumbai, leaving them with no water.
The government promotes animal breeding, but villagers question how they can provide water for their livestock when they lack water for themselves.
Telamwadi is located only 50 km (31 miles) away from the Vaitarna dam, which supplies water to Mumbai, but the two are not interconnected.
India is recognized by the World Bank as one of the most water-stressed countries globally, having only 4% of the world's water resources despite being the most populous nation, accounting for 18% of the global population.
Officials in Maharashtra, the wealthiest state in India, including the village of Telamwadi and Mumbai, have announced plans to complete an alternative water supply for Telamwadi by the following summer. State water supply officials assured Reuters that until the permanent solution is implemented, water tankers would be provided to ensure residents do not face water scarcity issues.
According to the officials, the future water supply for Telamwadi and nearby settlements will be sourced from the Bori river dam. They further explained that the water would naturally flow to the area due to the higher altitude of the dam.
During the interim period, residents will rely on daily water tanker supplies organized by the government, particularly in the summer when the nearby well completely dries up, despite being only 2 km (1 mile) away.
To ensure that no solid waste contaminates the water, the villagers, including Suman Bhutambare, use a strainer. However, occasionally, when the strainer or other tools accidentally fall into the well, someone must undertake a dangerous descent of 15 to 20 feet (5 to 7 yards) to retrieve them.
Usually, one of the women from the village takes on this perilous task, relying on the cracks in the well's walls for support. Bhutambare emphasized the high risk involved, as there is always a possibility of slipping and falling.