MAHENDRANAGAR: The landless families in Dharmapur of Daiji VDC, Kanchanpur, are compelled to pay even for a glass of water to quench their thirst. As they have no tap in their area, they have been forced to pay monthly charges for the water they get from a neighbouring village.

The landless squatters in Bachhela community forest area have no tap in their community. They have been paying Rs 25 per month for the water consumed from the taps of the neighbouring freed-Kamaiyas.

"The little water collected from their taps is enough only for cooking," said Sita Thapamagar, member, National Landless Forum Kanchanpur. “We have been facing problems due to the shortage since we have to work as labourers."

Further, though they pay for the water, they are given limited quantity of water. Thapamagar said, "We are allowed to collect water only for drinking but not for washing. Our children, who go to fetch water sometimes come empty handed."

Nevertheless, they have made efforts to manage water in their locality but have not been successful. They failed to set up a hand pump for collecting groundwater. According to Dhana Od, a local, they started fetching water from the neighbourhood after facing various health problems due to the consumption of water from a nearby canal. But they still use the canal water for other purposes. In order to solve the problem, they tried to dig a well but could not get water even after digging 40 feet deep.

RRN, an NGO, had provided them with tools for digging. They lamented that despite their frequent requests, the District Water Supply Office, Federation of the Indigenous and Janajatis and the VDC administration had not paid heed to solving their problems.