During one of the repayment centre meetings, a customer wanted to leave early. The reason for this, she said, was that she had to go to a far-off water resource to collect drinking water. A dog had fallen into the community well and the water department was trying to drain out the polluted water and then undertake disinfecting activities. Branch staff were shocked to learn that the residents had been requesting local civic authorities to cover the well for the last 10 years!
The state of Rajasthan in general has a paucity of water resources. The 90-foot deep well at ‘Kagaji ka Mohalla’ is a drinking water source not just for the local residents but for almost half the city of Sawai Madhopur.
However, as the well was open at the top and surrounded by extremely low walls, there was a high risk of animals and even small children falling into it. If an animal fell into the well and drowned, the water got polluted, effectively shutting down use of the well until it is cleaned up by the local water department.
Ujjivan’s Customer Relationship Manager, Irfan organized a meeting with customers and residents of the colony, and discussed resolving this problem through Ujjivan’s Social Development Program initiative. The customers and the residents were unanimous in their approval of the idea of installing a safety net over the well. Immediately, branch staff and supervisors diligently set about working on the implementation plan.
On 2nd November, the community well in ‘Kagaji ka Mohalla’ colony in Sawai Madhopur was surrounded by more than 100 cheerful and relieved residents. The residents’ plea, which had fallen on deaf ears over the last 10 years, had finally been heard. Ujjivan, through the unique Social Development Program initiative, financed and completed the installation of an iron-grill safety net over the previously dangerously uncovered and open well.
The Chief Guests at the inauguration included Kamlesh Kumar Jeliya (Chairman, Nagar Palika), Ms. Kekai Devi (Ward Parishad) and Mr. K.M. Kawariya (A.E.N water box).
Leading publications such as Rajasthan Patrika and Dainik Navjyoti covered the event.
