Thiruvambady is a hilly area, 35 kms away from Kozhikode City .The entire area is divided into 13 wards, namely Pullurampara, Muthappanpuzha, Kavungalel, Kodakkattupara, Ponnankayam, Punnakkel, Vazhikkadavu, Paambhizhanjapara, Theruparamba, Thondimmal, Ambalappara, Thiruvambady Town, and Thambalamanna. As a result of the survey conducted by KRWSA, it was found that this region faces acute water shortage during summer. There are a lot of Kerala Water Authority Schemes in the Panchayat, none of which are working. There are at least 500 KWA consumers in the Panchayat, but the water Supply is not sufficient to meet their needs. Some stand posts are not working and there is no maintenance of the water taps or water tanks provided by the KWA.

As per the survey, there are lot of areas where water is available through gravity sources. In spite of this, the water is contaminated. This is because of the unhealthy sanitary and hygiene practices. The Panchayat applied for a Water supply Project. As a result, the KRWSA implemented its project in Thiruvambady, and the Panchayats selected OISCA International as the Supporting Organisation. The time frame of the Project is two years. Each Panchayat can use up to 3.5 Crores for the Water Supply and related activities. The Supporting Organisation is given 30 lakhs for carrying out the various activities of the project, i.e. for payment to the Staff Members, Infrastructure building, GP Strengthening etc.

PROJECT PHILOSOPHY

Demand driven approach - Unlike the supply driven approach hitherto followed, this project is implemented based on the need of the people. The Project has been introduced only in areas where interested groups of people show their willingness to participate in the project and abide by the conditions of cost- sharing. The group then gets a legal entity by registering themselves and only then proceeds with the rest of the planning. The source selection, technology selection, purchases, contracting and implementation is done by this registered body, the beneficiary group with technical help from Support Organisations. This inculcates a sense of ownership in the people.

Cost sharing - To ensure stockholding of the project, 15% of the capital costs is borne by the beneficiary community. Of the remaining, the Grama Panchayath bear 10% and 75% is the share of the Govt.

Cost Recovery - The Beneficiary Groups themselves meet 100% of the recurring costs of operations and maintenance. This lightens the burden on the state exchequer, thereby helping the Govt to utilise this money for other priority needs like in the health sector.

Integrated Approach - The objective of the Project being sustainable supply of safe drinking water, sustainability of source, sustainability of operations, regularity and adequacy of supply and quality of water needs to be ensured. This is being met through other well-integrated components. Sustainability of source is ensured through Point- Source recharge measures. Quality is ascertained through a mix of Sanitation & Hygiene promotion and provision of infrastructure like latrines, compost pits etc. Sustainability of system is ensured through community empowerment, capacity building, women empowerment and social mobilisation.

Pro-Poor Approach - Special efforts have been taken in the project design to include the poor and vulnerable while selecting the user groups. The project has been so designed to incorporate the beneficiary contribution of 15% of capital costs either through cash or in kind, as labour. Intra-group subsidisation and even inter- group subsidisation is permitted at the behest of and under the total responsibility of the beneficiary groups. Thrift & Credit schemes are promoted in the Beneficiary Groups as "Self Help Groups" which are operated by the women of that group.

Women Development Initiatives - Women are the most affected both directly and indirectly, during water shortages. The project makes conscious efforts to mainstream the women users in the planning and decision-making activities. Apart from this, they are also encouraged to form "Thrift & Credit Groups" to help them make the payments towards the recurring expenditures of the water supply system. Income generation activities are also designed in the project where groups of women are given financial assistance and skill development training to start viable micro- enterprises of their choice.

Community Empowerment - Capacity building and equipping the community to operate the project is a major thrust area of this project as this is planned, designed, implemented, owned, and operated by the users themselves. This will not only ensure the involvement of the people but will also chart a new path to community- based approach for meeting any local needs.

Community Contracting - The users themselves are fully involved in all the activities right from identifying their sources, deciding on the technology to be utilized, community contracting and implementation till the operations and maintenance aspects of the schemes. All contracting of goods, works, and services will be done at the user level itself for which adequate training will be provided and guidelines made available.

Utilization of available resources - The Schemes already operational in these project areas, will also be rehabilitated, and handed over to the  User groups. This will ensure efficient utilization of investments made.

Unlike the KWA Schemes, the Project is a demand-driven project, i.e. water is supplied only to those who are in need of it. Apart from the main activities and some legal effects, the entire project is in the hands of the People, a completely different approach from the traditional way of Project activities. The presence of the people in each and every stage of the project makes it different from other projects. The people are given the responsibility to set up the Water Supply in their locality, and look after the maintenance of the particular source. For this Beneficiary Groups are formed in places where there is a need Water Supply.

A group of families who become members in a Drinking Water Supply Project are called Beneficiary Groups. These groups together will be responsible for the organizing, controlling and directing the activities for the proper supply of Drinking water in their region. The main features of BGs are:-

Demand- based.

To use water from one particular source in a region.

How many families can draw water from a particular source

Those who are ready to pay the beneficiary contribution (15%of the total expenditure)

A  committee which is ready to work responsibly for the project activities

Participation by women, who are the main beneficiaries of the Project.    

In order to ensure the participation of the people in carrying out the Project properly, there are slight differences in the Fund Structure. Only 75% of the entire expenditure is received from Government. 10% is taken from the Grama Panchayat and the remaining 15% is to be borne by the BGs( 7.5% in the form of cash and 7.5% as labour)

Under Jalanidhi Project in Thiruvambady Grama Panchayat, Until Now 42 Beneficiary Groups has been formed and registered. 3 Transition Management Committees have been formed. Many BG's have collected their contribution and have deposited in the Project account. The Project has now moved in to its implementation phase and 17 BG's have started their implementation works. 11 BG's have signed the Implementation Phase Quadrilateral Agreement (IPQA) with the KRWSA for the Sanction of the Project money in to their project account for implementation works. The Detailed Scheme Reports of the BG's have been made by the engineering wing and Water supply scheme is prepared.

The main Components of the Project are:

1.Water Supply

2.Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion

3.Women Development Initiatives

4.Environment Management Plan

5.Ground Water Recharging

Providing of safe drinking water as the main component, This project also gives importance to the components said above which are adjacent to the main goal and are vital for the implementation of the project.

Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion:

This component is very important in the project. Providing safe drinking water is possible only Proper sanitation and Hygiene Practices are practiced. In this component, 2000/- Rs Subsidy are given to the families who are Below Poverty Line for the construction of New Sanitary two-pit latrines. The merit of two-pit latrine is that it helps in the easy decomposition of waste and also prevents the seepage of waste in to nearby water sources.1000/- Rs Subsidy is also given for families of every category for the conversion of deep-pit latrines which results in the seepage of waste water and causes contamination to Sanitary two-pit Latrines. Applicants were invited for both the subsidies from all over the Panchayat. As a result 750 Families applied for the construction of new sanitary two-Pit latrines and 200 families applied for conversion. The work has been started in many houses and until now funds for 120 families has been released. Drainage construction is also given prominence in this component. Demonstration units are also constructed in different wards of the Panchayat to spread the awareness. Healthy Home Survey is conducted once in 4 months to evaluate the progress in the practices of proper healthy practices.

Women Development Initiatives (WDI) :

This component mainly aims for the strengthening of Women in the beneficiary groups. They have to carry the project. So they are given trainings on capacity building and Personality Development. Ideas are given to them for starting of Micro-Enterprises which would result in an alternative livelihood. We have conducted many trainings for them on Capacity building, Personality development, Stress management, Micro-enterprises and marketing strategies.

Environment Management Plan:

This component mainly deals with environment Protection activities. Greening activities, Proper Solid waste management through composting, vermicomposting and liquid waste management through construction of Soak Pits. Subsidy of Rs.375/- is given for its construction. Sustainable development is ensured through these all activities. The families who need the subsidy has been identified and they have started their works. The granting of subsidy is under process.

Rain water harvesting and Ground Water recharging are also given importance. Ground Water Recharging (GWR) is vital as it ensures the sustainability of the water source. Rain Water Harvesting Demonstration Units have been constructed in two Social Institutions of the Panchayat and it would serve as a model for awareness creation.