 Photo: Sagun Bajracharya/Guthi Lalitpur: Until two years ago, Rupa Shrestha, 26, housewife from Pigantole-Luboo, in the outskirts of Kathmandu Valley, used to get up early in the morning and walk almost one hour to Lamatar just to get a bucketful of water. This was her routine throughout the year.
"But, that is history now," said Shrestha. Things have changed not only for her, but also for over 1,100 households in Luboo. Life for women has become easier ever since Luboo Infrastructure and Environment Improvement Committee (LIEIC) launched an integrated infrastructure and environment project in the area. Earlier, all the locals were using highly contaminated water from traditional sources like wells and ponds located in the area, after the piped water line connected by the Drinking Water Corporation became useless since no water was being supplied through it.
However, now the locals can heave a sigh of relief at not having to face such problems anymore. They have formed over 30 users' groups and each member of the group has been entrusted with the complete care of the system.
"Now, no one here has to face the agony of water shortage like in the past," said Ram Bahadur Shrestha, the president of LIEIC. A long unused water pipe from Chanpakharka was repaired and a new pipeline was also connected from the nearby river for drinking water and other purposes. Both the pipelines linking every household, and over 50 traditional wells and ponds revived, there is now enough water to meet the demand.
It was a joint effort. Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, Centre for Integrated Urban Development, WaterAid Nepal and UN-HABITAT, all of whom had jointly come up with a Rs 5.2 million aid to build the system and train the locals in maintaining it. End of open defecation The main livelihood earning of over 32 households in Galchhitole-Luboo in Lalitpur is dependent on rearing of pigs and supplying the meat to the market. Until two years ago, almost all the people in the area used to attend to nature's call in open places, not because they did not have toilets, but because of the fear that the pigs would eat the human waste.
They would also slaughter animals and throw away the entrails and bones everywhere. "But ever since some youths formed a consumers' group and initiated the upgrading of the drainage system and raised awareness, we have succeeded in changing the area's look," said Naresh Shahi, member of consumer's group. Source: The Kathmandu Post, January 4, 2009 |
