"PIPASA" DOCUMENTARY FILM REVIEW:
"If we don't get water to drink,
How will we survive?"
"PIPASA," a documentary film by Rajat Sain and Roohani, presents a poignant and detailed overview of the water crisis in the Barmer region of the Thar Desert.
पिपासा: प्यास, तृष्णा, इच्छा, लोभ।
Barmer is the faifth the biggest district in India.Which is always accompanied by two words,first being the desert and second being water.If you mention the ocean to the people there,they will not believe that it exists.Because they believe that the ocean would resemble a desert filled with sand. They cannot believe that there is so much water existing in this world.Thar desert is known to be the hottest desert.Thar, which falls 85% in India and 15% in Pakistan. Because of the desert and its hit the people there struggle and face scarcity of water.
Barmer and Jaisalmer are district near the border and a lot of people in this district live in remote settlements.The problem of water scarcity isn't new there,it has been there for ages.The people who were living there, using sand to wash vessels and natural's call.
The water there is at depth. Around 600 feet below and salty,saline water.There are few villages like "Arbi ki gaffen", where water is saline. The water is so salty that even animals don't consume it.And due to scarcity of water there is no birds.When water was available at home people would fill containers and lock it.
From dawn to dusk, women are worried about water that they need to fetch water for their homes.It rains only three to four time there. The situation remains the same. Even today the water sources of this villages are drying up. Of the 21st century, 1/4th part has passed . 25 years are already over. The other 75 years shall go by soon too. There water tank is already built but it has no electricity. There is no scope of getting water in the next 50 years.
If you ask at any house there, how much water crisis do you face? They would all be crying within. There is one breadwinner but ten members in the family who consume water. There is no water source available nearby. Half lifetime has gone and half remain to fetch water 💦 . The women of this village, put down the ropes in 225ft. deep percolation well (water source ).
One lady holds the water container, there other have to pull the rope. Then they transfer the water to their pots. Hardly, the pots are filled and the water gets over. Two women fetch water while the others wait for the co trainer to get filled. They need to wait near the "Beri" (percolation well) for around 1-1.5 hours. They keep waiting there for the water to re-collect in the percolation well. When it seems like water has re-collected for around 1-2pots, they fill it up and leave.
A lot of 'Beris' can be seen around Barmer's border. Beris are constructed in the midst of a huge space which can be called as 'Tal'. This was done so that every drop if water could be collected and conserved. The system was such that ten to fifteen 'Beris' we're built in a huge Tal. As soon Beri would fill up. As that overflows, the second Beri would start to fill. From second it would overflow to the third and so on and so forth. But as it gets hotter the water level goes low. Water then collects in the process of seeping, Gradually the percolation well gets filled. Within 4-5 hours you can collect 100-150 liters of water from each Beri. Whatever water would collect in these percolation wells, they would use that for 3-4 years. This method is successful even today.
In the villages where it is still in good working condition. It serves as the major source of drinking water. The quality of this water is good too mineral wise and it is not polluted. Most of the "Beris"are constructed around sand dunes and not stony areas. Wherever would be constructed and not percolation wells.
The goat is not drinking the water as it is salty. Mixing flour in the water . When they add flour, the cattle consumes the water.
In Barmer water comes from two types of canals. First being the Indira Gandhi canal, which was made by Ganga Sungh Ji, the king of Bikaner. Later, it came to be known as Indira Gnadhi canal. This canal extends till Jaisalmer. This water comes up to Barmer through connecting pipelines.
Luni river used to emerge from Asmer. It would flow through Pali and reach here. Till 40 years age, the river Luni was a lifeline for them. It was also known as "Maru Ganga" but today nothing remains. It is so polluted that there is no aquatic life even and not is it fit for any animal to drink. This is because the government has given allowed chemical and textile industries to dump their waste unto the Luni river. Burmer is one of the mineral rich region of the country.There is lignite,bentonite,granite and crude oil.They are being mined chemicals are used in abundance to collect the crude oil.These chemicals seep into our spaces and water sources.This leads to pollution of the water sources and the water taste changes as well.
People have yellowish brown teeth because of the polluted water.The presence of fluoride in the water also affect our bones,people have bent backs earlier than their age.Whenever Beris have not been clean the properly there, they faced more of a drinking water crisis.
Percolation wells were constructed during their forefather's time.The traditional style of water conservation is Sonia channel.Sonia channel is basically a group of percolation. Earlier some village is had ponds. Permission was granted to transport water for domestic purpose only through bullock cart or camel cart.New techniques have come up.Use of tankers have become a profit making business for the villagers.They have no option since the government did not supply them with water.
They are two types of tanker supply. The first one being private and second being government supply.Government tanker include 20000 liters water.There are two tankers allotted every month.The document says one tanker per day but only one tanker reaches there in a month.Those who have money can pay for the tanker and get water and lower people do not get anything.The truck tankar coast is 4000 rupees.About 10 10 to 12000 per month goes in buying water there is a lot of scarcity of water.
Not every woman or family has 500 rupees. So they can't get water, so they are left with only one option to go and fill in water on there own. And that's why they get salty water.Some people do water harvesting in the tanks (taka).Huge underground tanks are made and rainwater is collected in it. But it was only used for drinking water purpose.
They go wise a day to fetch water and fill 2-4 pots. They use that to wash clothes and utensils. They save the water used from washing utensils and that water Goats used to drink. In the film,one lady can carry 10 litres.If she carries 20 litres she will fall and the pot will broke.They have back and feet pain.Body hurts and there is knee pain.She uses the support of a stick to fetch water.Arms,chest , hands and feet...... evening hurts.
In these village, there is a habit that as a girl grows up, she has to accompany her mother to fetch water. Carrying so much weight has an effect on their bodies. It is a habit now so they don't feel it much. But the effects can be seen on the body. Even 80-90 year old women has no other option than to carry water pots. There is nobody in her family, she bring water for cow. It is ill due to scarcity of food and water.
Work of fetching water also effects their reproductive system. A pregnant women is also going to fetch water till her 8th month of pregnancy. A month after delivery she goes for fetching water. One lady , four days after giving birth of child , she went to fetch water. Even while experiencing labour pains the women have to work carry weight, fetch water and labour work. Due to this some women face uterine prolapse. Due to this work one lady lost her child because carrying heavy weight.
There is not even a single School and there is a no facility for water in their village .Children travel 10 to 15 kms to attend school.Because there is no facility in their village. According to students, the best is ti study,after that bring water.Bring water out of compulsion.
In a day,they went to bring water for 4 times.All women are expected to fetch water .Be it a 10 years old or 80 years old.Their health condition doesn't matter, fetching water is a necessity.According to them,worst work is to fetch water.
People living in border villages.They are not capable of renting tankers.They are living a miserable life.But they no value of water and use water like the milk.They utilise water like we utilise milk and butter in our house chores.They use water like other valuable items.
There was a saying, Milk or butter is far more easily available than water.we can give you milk or butter but not water.
We don't feel ashamed when 40 thousand villagers are living without water and it does not affect us at all.
Water pipelines are not yet laid in the border areas of Barmer.The plan has not been implemented yet and there are so many areas that are not covered yet.Only water tank has been made but the pipeline required for the distribution of water to the villagers are still not laid.PM Modi had also promised that every Households will have water connection but it has not been implemented there.
Eastern India has Brahmaputra river,from it every year 3000 or 4000 people die because of extreme floods.Where in Rajasthan 20 to 25 people dies every year due to scarcity of water. In Barmer, Education is not important,but learning how to fetch water is important.No matter you are a girl or boy.
14,000 kilometers: The distance a rural women walks every year just to fetch water,equivalent to the distance between India and America.
According to Barmer's people, fetching water is the worst thing. We are celebrating 75 years od independence but there are so many villages are deprive from water, which is thoughtful matter for us.
💧💧💧💧💧💧💧Water💧💧💧💧💧💧
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