Publication

Abstract : Water is an important resource that sustains human life and is a basic necessity for all life forms that dwell on this planet. Water is used by humans for various purposes including household chores to agriculture to industrial use. Identifying the demand and consumption of water is very important in the analysis of water resource in rural places. This study focuses on water utilisation in the households of Karkatta, a small village in rural suburbs of Jharkhand and also some solutions to tackle water crisis pertaining to the village. Karkatta has a population of just over 500 people. Most of the people are engaged in agriculture, which is their primary source of income. The village is bordered on both sides by Thunju and Siri river, which caters to the water requirements for irrigation purposes. The water requirements for drinking and other household chores are met by three wells located at different parts of the village and out of which only one well is active throughout the year. When the water in the wells dry during summer which lasts for about two and a half months, it is a real challenge for the villagers to do agriculture and hence they turn towards secondary source of income like daily wages, construction etc. With just one fully functional well, two lean stream of rivers and a few handpumps, the villagers face this challenge with positivity and hope. As one can see water forms an integral part of their life, which is why understanding the utilisation of water as a resource in Karkatta forms the crux of this study.