Tue Dec 03 13:39:24 UTC 2024: ## Desert Village Gets Running Water After Decades of Struggle

**Sundra, Rajasthan:** Residents of Sundra village in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, located just 50 kilometers from the India-Pakistan border, are celebrating a major milestone: access to clean drinking water. For decades, the villagers relied on saline water from depleted wells or arduous journeys to fetch water from distant sources, a legacy of well destruction during the 1965 war.

This week, a tap, part of the government’s Jal Jeevan Mission, began supplying water to every household, albeit for only two to three hours weekly. This seemingly small achievement represents a monumental change for the community. The water is piped in from the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River in Gujarat, hundreds of kilometers away – a feat achieved after overcoming significant challenges posed by the harsh desert terrain and shifting sand dunes.

“We used to use saline water,” explained villager Jetharam. “The only way to get sweet potable water was to store rainwater.” Girdhar Singh, another resident, added, “It was very difficult for us to walk 10 kilometers to fetch drinking water daily.”

The project, part of a larger initiative to supply water to 250 villages in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, has faced considerable logistical hurdles. Sonaram Beniwal, a senior engineer, stated that laying the pipelines took over a year due to the challenging landscape. The project, budgeted at over Rs 500 crore, aims to reach full completion by March 2025.

Despite the limited supply hours, villagers expressed overwhelming gratitude. “They have connected all the homes,” confirmed Hakam Singh, another villager. The improved water quality, free from the high fluoride and salinity of local sources, is seen as a significant health improvement for the community. The successful completion of this project signifies a major step towards achieving the Jal Jeevan Mission’s goal of providing piped water to every household in India.

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