Decentralised Decentralised Governance for Rural Governance for Rural Development in Water Development in Water

and Sanitation:and Sanitation:A Study of Gram A Study of Gram

Panchayats in S.A.S. Panchayats in S.A.S. Nagar District, PunjabNagar District, Punjab

Research PaperResearch Paper

Discusses the Discusses the delivery of water supply and delivery of water supply and sanitation through decentralised institutionssanitation through decentralised institutions in SAS Nagar District. It attempts to find out in SAS Nagar District. It attempts to find out the problems faced by the Gram Panchayats the problems faced by the Gram Panchayats in performing these functions.in performing these functions.

Section ISection I discusses the concept of discusses the concept of decentralised governance .decentralised governance .

Section II Section II describes the condition of water and describes the condition of water and sanitation services in Punjab with special sanitation services in Punjab with special reference to the two case studies.reference to the two case studies.

Section III Section III summarizes the findings and gives summarizes the findings and gives some suggestions. some suggestions.

Research MethodologyResearch MethodologyFor For primary data: primary data: Two Gram Panchayats from Two Gram Panchayats from

Dera Bassi Tehsil has been randomly Dera Bassi Tehsil has been randomly selected. The research paper is based on a selected. The research paper is based on a household level survey in two villages household level survey in two villages including 100 respondents among which 8 including 100 respondents among which 8 were elected member and 92 were were elected member and 92 were households. households.

The The secondary data: secondary data: books, academic books, academic journals, newspapers, official documents and journals, newspapers, official documents and publications of the concerned authorities publications of the concerned authorities have been accessed, greatly supported by have been accessed, greatly supported by the internet.the internet.

Decentralised Decentralised Governance Governance

Decision making power to the local people Decision making power to the local people for for management of their own affairs.management of their own affairs.

Transfer of authority Transfer of authority – political, legal, or – political, legal, or administrative from a higher level of government to administrative from a higher level of government to lower level.lower level.

Prime mechanism through which democracy Prime mechanism through which democracy becomes truly becomes truly representative and responsiverepresentative and responsive. .

Aims Aims to foster better and faster communication, to foster better and faster communication, involvement and commitment of people in involvement and commitment of people in development, mobilisation of support and utilisation development, mobilisation of support and utilisation of resources in an efficient manner for national of resources in an efficient manner for national development, reduction in delay in decision-making, development, reduction in delay in decision-making, greater equity in allocation of resources and greater equity in allocation of resources and investments as well as reduction in apathy of investments as well as reduction in apathy of administration towards citizens.administration towards citizens.

Water and Sanitation Water and Sanitation ConditionCondition

43.5 percent 43.5 percent are using tap of which 32 percent of are using tap of which 32 percent of water is treated and 11.6 percent remains untreated. water is treated and 11.6 percent remains untreated.

42 percent 42 percent use handpump/tube well, 11 percent use use handpump/tube well, 11 percent use well of which only 1.6 percent of well are covered and well of which only 1.6 percent of well are covered and rest are uncovered. rest are uncovered.

3 percent 3 percent use other source for drinking water. In rural use other source for drinking water. In rural areas, 51.9 percent of the households depend upon areas, 51.9 percent of the households depend upon hand pump/tube well followed by 31.8 percent who hand pump/tube well followed by 31.8 percent who has tap water.has tap water.

47 percent 47 percent of the households have toilet facility within of the households have toilet facility within premises with 36 percent households have water premises with 36 percent households have water closet and 9 percent households have pit toilets. closet and 9 percent households have pit toilets.

The The rest of the households rest of the households defecate in open.defecate in open.

Water and Sanitation Water and Sanitation Situation in PunjabSituation in Punjab

Plenty of water both ground water and Plenty of water both ground water and surface is available. surface is available.

Most of the rural population depends upon Most of the rural population depends upon ground water without any treatment to satisfy ground water without any treatment to satisfy its needs of drinking water. its needs of drinking water.

Tube wells are major source .Tube wells are major source .

Case StudiesCase Studies

Basma VillageBasma VillageBasma Colony VillageBasma Colony Village

Basma VillageBasma Village Access to water supply and sanitation presents a Access to water supply and sanitation presents a far from far from

comfortable picture.comfortable picture. Water supply pipes have been installed & Water supply pipes have been installed & 98 98 % households % households

have water connection.have water connection. 91 91 % told actually water doesnt flows out of the pipes for more % told actually water doesnt flows out of the pipes for more

than a couple of hours each day & nor does the water that come than a couple of hours each day & nor does the water that come is safe.is safe.

6565 % of the villagers have handpump. % of the villagers have handpump. 35 35 % have submersible pump in their houses.% have submersible pump in their houses. Water table is becoming deeper handpumps also Water table is becoming deeper handpumps also stop workingstop working in in

summers or just give one or two buckets of water.summers or just give one or two buckets of water. Additionally, it was found that Additionally, it was found that ground water is polluting ground water is polluting due to due to

use of pesticides in the fields.use of pesticides in the fields.

Household survey revealed that access to safeHousehold survey revealed that access to safe drinking water is drinking water is an an enormous challengeenormous challenge..

In contrast,In contrast, 50 50 % have toilets & rest defecate in % have toilets & rest defecate in open.open.

Additionally, in order to fill the gap between Additionally, in order to fill the gap between demand and supply of water, it is necessary to demand and supply of water, it is necessary to augment the supply by augment the supply by installing more tubewells.installing more tubewells.

People are not used to these and People are not used to these and don’t feel like don’t feel like using toilets.using toilets.

Converted these toilets into Converted these toilets into storage godowns storage godowns or or have demolished them and used its bricks for have demolished them and used its bricks for some some other households’ purpose. other households’ purpose.

Toilets made in the houses are for womenToilets made in the houses are for women.. Sarpanch is unable to do anything as the top level Sarpanch is unable to do anything as the top level

officials at the district level officials at the district level do not give do not give importance to the issuesimportance to the issues which are raised by the which are raised by the gram panchayats. gram panchayats.

Basma Colony VillageBasma Colony Village All the households All the households have access to water and toilet have access to water and toilet in in

their houses.their houses. 90 %90 % revealed that though pipe lines are placed, revealed that though pipe lines are placed,

water supply is water supply is negligible in summernegligible in summer.. Every house has its Every house has its own handpump own handpump and and 10 % 10 % of the of the

household have submersible pump.household have submersible pump. Sarpanch put forth that undisrupted water supply is Sarpanch put forth that undisrupted water supply is

a a distant dream distant dream for the villagers.for the villagers. Fatehgarh Sahib Fatehgarh Sahib district has taken step forward by district has taken step forward by

empowering the panchayats empowering the panchayats of two villages (Chunni of two villages (Chunni Khurd and Chunni Kalan) Khurd and Chunni Kalan) to operate and maintain to operate and maintain the rural drinking water supply systemthe rural drinking water supply system. He suggests . He suggests that this should be done in all districts. that this should be done in all districts.

Majority of people believe that sanitation Majority of people believe that sanitation programmes and projects have not given desired programmes and projects have not given desired results because of results because of lack of involvement and lack of involvement and commitment from both communities and external commitment from both communities and external agencies–government or non-governmentagencies–government or non-government..

There had been There had been lapseslapses in technology, planning, in technology, planning, implementation, supervision, support, and above implementation, supervision, support, and above all, accountability.all, accountability.

Common but predominant message Common but predominant message emerged emerged from the household survey across the belt was from the household survey across the belt was that their political leaderships must take a that their political leaderships must take a collective resolve in the region to promote right collective resolve in the region to promote right to sanitation and assure dignified lives to people to sanitation and assure dignified lives to people by providing them and their children with a by providing them and their children with a disease-free and healthy environment.disease-free and healthy environment.

ConclusionConclusion Huge gap Huge gap between demand and supply of services, between demand and supply of services,

the Gram Panchayat was the Gram Panchayat was unable to cope unable to cope with the with the pressure and situation is alarming.pressure and situation is alarming.

Drinking water and toilet Drinking water and toilet imbalance is a huge issue imbalance is a huge issue that has to be addressed.that has to be addressed. With water getting scarcer With water getting scarcer this imbalance will further grow. If the country wants this imbalance will further grow. If the country wants sanitation coverage to catch up with that of water, sanitation coverage to catch up with that of water, these two have to be linked and not separated. these two have to be linked and not separated.

Sarpanchs were aware of the exact situation of their Sarpanchs were aware of the exact situation of their village, they were unable to do anything as they village, they were unable to do anything as they have have little autonomylittle autonomy..

Villages shows Villages shows improvement in other infrastructure improvement in other infrastructure like streets, roads, maintenance of dharamshala and like streets, roads, maintenance of dharamshala and crimination ground.crimination ground.

Decentralised institution has performed well in other Decentralised institution has performed well in other activities, it can also exceed in water and sanitation activities, it can also exceed in water and sanitation if given a change.if given a change.

Key Issues & Way Key Issues & Way ForwardForward

Groundwater ExtractionGroundwater ExtractionTime-bound Implementation Plan Time-bound Implementation Plan Autonomy to PRIsAutonomy to PRIsCapacity BuildingCapacity BuildingCoordination and Accountability Coordination and Accountability

MechanismsMechanismsDocumentationDocumentationBehavioural ChangeBehavioural ChangeSocial AuditSocial AuditAddressing Local IssuesAddressing Local IssuesParticipatory CultureParticipatory CultureCommunity Self FinancingCommunity Self Financing

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