From no drinking water to fluttering green crops: How fortunes of this Madhya Pradesh village changed

As the summer arrives, many parts of the country are hit by a water crisis. And regardless to say, the farmers have to witness a tough time in India. Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh was one such district where people used to struggle for every drop of water each year. But, things have changed in this village. People of Jhabua who used to walk miles to get drinking water earlier, are now getting it at their homes. Also, the fields that were drying in the absence of water, are now fluttering with green crops in the district. 

A majority of people in Jhabua depend on agriculture for their livelihood. With lack of water, they were badly hit and there was also an increase in poverty level in the district. Due to the inability to meet their basic needs of water for drinking and hygiene, the quality of their lives started deteriorating.

Some NGOs came out with the purpose of relieving the people of Jhabhu who were struggling with water crisis. Under NM Sadguru Water and Development Foundation, 23 new check dams were built to store the rain water. Six dams which were already present in the district have been repaired and given a new look. The rain water started accumulating in the check dam. The dried dams began to overflow and soon water level of the entire area started increasing. 

When the water returned to the fields, the greenery spread all over Jhabua. Now, the farmers are cultivating two to three crops every year. Animal husbandry has also been started in the district. The condition of farmers has improved a lot due to farming and animal husbandry.

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Although the project is only two-year-old in the village, it has successfully constructed water storage and check dams in most affected villages, due to which proper water table is managed. The rebuilding of dams has allowed people to meet basic water needs such as drinking, cooking and sanitation, which has greatly improved their lifestyle. 

The increase in water level in Jhabua's land has improved the lives of six lakh people living there. Coca-Cola India Foundation and CSR Branch of Ananda also contributed a lot in implementing schemes for checkdams and water harvesting in Jhabua.