| Evaluation of the Groundwater
Alternative
In spite of the rather high rainfall of Mokada, Jawar,
Dahanu and other northern talukas
of Thana District inhabited by Adivasis, the possibility
of finding groundwater to be
tapped by drilled wells is negligible in villages located
on hill-tops. In fact, in a recent
survey carried out by the author in the hilly area of
Dahanu Taluka, inhabited by Adivasis,
it resulted that in 6 villages, including also 13 padas,
74 boreholes had already been drilled
by the Government, 38 of which were given as successful
and 34 were either dry or low
yielding, and therefore were not equipped by pumps. The
average rate of success was only
54%. The failure for individual village ranged between
18% to 100%; the latter value
refers mainly to villages located on hilltops. This
clearly discourages further drilling for
such villages.
To solve the water problem of hilltop villages, it will
be necessary to evaluate the
possibility to investigate nearby flat areas, river sides
and depressions where water may
be found by drilling, digging holes or by constructing
other water-holding structures
appropriate to local conditions. The location of water
sources away from hilltop villages ,
however, often requires much effort by women and children
to carry up-hill heavy loads of
water pots on their heads.
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