This week, I visited a Delhi hidden in the glare of tall buildings and high-profile bungalows like embassies, multicomplexes and the metro. Amidst the beautiful infrastructure lies the slums of Kusumpur Pahadi, near one of the posh colonies of Delhi-Vasant Vihar.
However, the location is not enough to guarantee the basic livelihood needs. I saw children cycling, carrying water containers on the sides. Women carrying the empty containers on their head and shoulders.
“Yaha sabse badi naukri hai, paani bharne ki.'' (The biggest job here is to fill water) says Buddhi, a 60-year-old woman and a resident of Kusumpur Pahadi.
Adjoining the Air India residential neighbourhood on the north, the Government Housing Complex (east), and the Aravalli Biodiversity (south), Kusumpur Pahadi finds itself entangled in urbanism that systematically marginalises residents.
Like many slums of Delhi, hidden from a tourist’s eye, Kusumpur is deprived of fresh running water. “There is no need for taps in homes as there is no running water”, says a local.
The residents have lost all hope for the situation to improve. Even when they saw me in the area, they seemed least interested. They have had enough.
“Tumhare photos kheech kar le jaane se kya hoga.'' (What will happen if you take photos?)
The pahadi is divided into five blocks from A-E.
There are mainly two water sources for the residents - Boring pipelines and Delhi Jal Board tankers. However, the pipelines are no more functional. That’s why most people rely on tankers.
"Earlier, there was a time when we received water only once every two months. At least now, we get tankers once a week or in ten days."Geeta Devi, Resident
Geeta and other residents, Shalu Devi and Asha Berwa, homemakers in their 30s, express, “Sometimes there are animal faeces, dead mice and other dirt in the tanker. We can’t even throw this water since we have no option but to use it.”
Facing a prolonged water crisis, residents like Geeta and Asha have been living for more than 20 years and have struggled even to drink water. And even when they get water, “Nahane, dhoone aur peene ka paani sab ek hai.” (People have to use the same water for drinking, washing, cleaning).
Other challenges like inadequate housing, poor sanitation facilities, and limited access to employment opportunities also persist.
“We have our Aadhar cards, ration cards, and voter identification cards. Voting is something we do regularly. We even receive electricity for 24 hours. We vote just like the rest of the city, so why do we have no access to water like the rest?” asks Sunita Devi, in her 50s and a resident of Block E.
'For Women, The Water Crisis Adds To Their Woes
According to water.org, a global non-profit organisation’s data, around 200 million women and children spend around 200 million hours collecting water daily. For women, the water crisis is a personal issue.
Kaali Devi, a 62-year-old resident of Kusumpur Pahadi’s Block-E, has lived almost her entire life here. She has been filling water cans and carrying them daily for forty years. Due to irregular sources of water, every day apart from regular household chores, she has to wait for hours for the tankers to supply water, without which it is difficult for her to start the day.
Sarla, a 12th grader from the nearby government school who lives in Block-A, had been sometimes taking days off to fill water for her family. This causes a low attendance issue for her at school. Not just Sarla, for many children in Kusumpur, the story is the same.
As residents mentioned, each family, on average, fills at least four cans of water. A single can holds the capacity of carrying 40 litres. This also indicates how the residents of Kusumpur have been receiving and surviving on approximately 160 litres/day per household.
According to the Delhi Jal Board Data of 2021, the average water consumption of a person in Delhi is 240 litres per day. This data, when compared with Kusumpur’s average, indicates how an entire household in Kusumpur consumes around 40% less than the average water consumption of a single person in Delhi.
This indicates that access to water is also based on the affluence of a household's area. Note that this slum lies in one of the most affluent areas of Delhi. Hence, here I ask why it is not possible for the residents to receive adequate water supplies just like us, the people who reside in residential welfare housings.
Even though the tankers have been coming regularly, according to Geeta Devi, a resident, emergency services and regular commuters face massive problems in commuting when tankers enter the narrow lanes of Pahadi.
'Violent Conflicts Due To Water Crisis'
While talking to a Delhi Jal Board tanker person who wished to stay anonymous mentioned, “We bring tankers here daily. Residents fill from the main road as it is difficult to move inside the alleys. Some people get a chance to fill water while others don’t. This leads to a lot of conflicts amongst residents.”
According to the residents, Delhi Jal Board tankers are regular. However, there are no fixed times for when the tanker will arrive. Residents, especially women in the area, who take care of the household chores, must wait for the entire day as the tankers can arrive at any time.
While I was in the area, tankers were usually seen arriving post-noon. Tankers are limited, but the chances of filling water are fixed. Because of this, residents of Kusumpur can’t live in peace. In addition to the water crisis, violent conflicts result from it.
'No Water In Washrooms'
Governments are formed and dissolved, leaders come and go. But broken and unfulfilled promises remain. Residents of Kusumpur want a permanent solution to their problem.
“Sauchalya mein nalka hi nahi hai, paani hoga jab hi toh nalka lagega”-Kaali Devi. (There are no taps in the washroom,since there is no water.) Note that according to the 2011 census data, the population is in only some 20 thousands.
However, if you visit the Pahadi today, you will realise how the population has increased (since no new data is available), and Pahadi still has just one public toilet.
Even though many residents now have toilets in their houses. Some still have to rely on public toilet facilities. However, when visited, the toilet needed taps, water facilities, and basic sanitation. Therefore, as the residents mentioned, they still defecate in the open areas nearby.
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