MP villagers brave crocodile attacks to fetch water
BHOPAL : Residents from three villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur Kalan district are braving attacks from crocodiles to collect drinking water from Parbati river, one of the three tributaries of Chambal river.
Armed with sticks in one hand and utensil on the other, villagers from Icchana Khedi, Malarna and Dalarna Kalan don’t have access to potable water and have to travel to the river teeming with crocodiles every day.
First, they shoo away the creatures, while others keep watch, and then quickly go down to collect the water.
The danger is palpable, which is why the forest department has issued instructions not to go anywhere near 100m of the river, but for those in need of water to drink, the warning is one they can easily disobey.
“We don’t have any option to get potable water as the groundwater in the village’s borewell is very salty,” said 45-year-old villager Ramawtar Gurjar.
Women, especially, are in danger since it is they who come in the line of attack by going inside the river to collect the water.
“The district administration is waiting for our deaths to come up with some solution. Many times, we wait for hours while the crocodiles are being shooed away. Forest department officials have asked us not to take water from the river, but what other option do we have,” asked Geeta Gurjar, 52.
Sarpanch of one of the villages, Mangilal said the are feeling hapless as even after repeated requests to the district and forest officials, no one has paid any attention towards making alternate arrangements.
Area sub-divisional magistrate RB Shedoskar only spoke about the warning issued to the villagers.
Talking to HT over phone, Shedoskar said, “The district forest officer has issued warnings but that is for villages that are located on the banks of Chambal river. I don’t know if Parbati passes through these (three) villages,” he said.