Getting water in Delhi's slums is rarely easy. 86% of homes in the slums of India's capital do not have a tap, depending instead on tankers of some kind to deliver supplies.
"We've always had an issue getting water," says Mohan Singh Patwal, who lives in Sangam Vihar, Delhi's largest unauthorized slum with over a million residents. "But since the lockdown, most private water tankers have refused to come and when one does, it runs out of water fast because the entire locality is experiencing a shortage."
Experts advise thorough handwashing with soap and water as a first line of defence in containing the virus. But one in eight Indians have no source of clean water near their home, prompting concerns that unequal access may facilitate the spread of the disease.
For those getting water from private tankers, however, it's not just a matter of access, it's also a question of prices.
Dev Vati lives in Sangam Vihar. Vati normally pays 500 rupees (6 euros, or $6.70) for 2,000 liters to last her family of eight a week. In summer though, prices skyrocket to double that, or 20% of her household's total income, says Vati. The average per capita monthly income in Delhi slums is around 1,708 rupees or €20.
"We've always had an issue getting water," says Mohan Singh Patwal, who lives in Sangam Vihar, Delhi's largest unauthorized slum with over a million residents. "But since the lockdown, most private water tankers have refused to come and when one does, it runs out of water fast because the entire locality is experiencing a shortage."
For those with a limited supply, "their priority is mostly using it for drinking and cooking," Shalini Chaturvedi, program manager at WaterAid India says. "Handwashing is not the highest priority." Chaturvedi says the authorities "need to ensure that the slums still get water supplies from the tankers."
Now under lockdown, many families fear that supplies from private tankers may stop altogether.Experts advise thorough handwashing with soap and water as a first line of defence in containing the virus. But one in eight Indians have no source of clean water near their home, prompting concerns that unequal access may facilitate the spread of the disease.
For those getting water from private tankers, however, it's not just a matter of access, it's also a question of prices.
Dev Vati lives in Sangam Vihar. Vati normally pays 500 rupees (6 euros, or $6.70) for 2,000 liters to last her family of eight a week. In summer though, prices skyrocket to double that, or 20% of her household's total income, says Vati. The average per capita monthly income in Delhi slums is around 1,708 rupees or €20.
The city water board has been posting tweets showing government tanker suppliers practicing social distancing. In crowded Delhi slums, where over one third of the Indian capital's population lives, it's a practice that's difficult to implement — particularly at water collection points where women in colorful saris usually tussle over limited water supplies and fights sometimes break out in times of shortage.
As for residents, access to cheap, clean water from their own taps has proved particularly important during the Covid-19 outbreak.
"We don't have to stand in line and crowd amongst ourselves," Rati explains, saying she felt safer because of the pipelines. "It helps maintain the adequate distance to help prevent the spread of the disease." She is not susceptible to profit-making and exploitation because the pipeline is a community-run resource.
No comments:
Post a Comment