For three generations, an entire community - Manevaddas - has dedicated itself to digging wells. Comprising about 65 families, the community hails from Vaddarapalya, a hamlet atop a hillock in Sarjapura village in Anekal taluk, southeast Bengaluru. Ironically, they have never dug up a well in their own village, where the groundwater table has plummeted.
The long line of public and private water tankers scurrying about suburban Sarjapura to ferry water to the plush gated communities and apartment complexes reflects the depletion of the ground water reserves in the neighbourhood. No matter how deep the mighty machines drill into the earth, it's become difficult to find water, even in trickles. The situation is worse in rural Sarjapura, about 20km from the city, where the terrain is rocky and there are no natural sources of drinking water, underlining the plight of the Manevaddas.
The chief of the
well-diggers
' community, Chinna Muniyappa, 50, who has dug 2,000 wells in his lifetime, despairs at not being able to dig one in his own village. "Because of our elevated height and rocky topography, it is impossible to dig a well here. We won't be able to get water even if we go deeper than 30 feet. Also, there are no lakes or other natural sources of water to replenish the groundwater. So, wells can never quench our thirst," he said.
Water supplied by the village panchayat twice a day once in the morning and again in the evening is their only source of drinking water. But the taps often run dry, say the villagers.
Sreedhar, who helps Muniyappa dig wells, said: "Water supplied by the panchayat is our only source. But that is irregular. We wake up to a drought every day and retire to bed thinking how adequate water can be brought to the village."
When asked if the panchayat was aware of their travails, one of the villagers said, "Yes, everyone knows about the hard times we face due to water scarcity, but nothing is done. If anyone from our community dares to file a complaint, the panchayat threatens the person and keeps us mum."
However, by putting their vast experience to use, the unflappable members of the community have devised an alternative solution to quench their thirst. "We excavate around 10 feet of earth during monsoon for rain water harvesting, and store enough water to meet our daily needs. The stored water runs deep into the ground and replenishes the water table," said Muniyappa.
Chinna Muniyappa has dug 2,000 wells in his lifetime but he is now staring at an uncertain future for himself and his community.
Lack of jobs renders future uncertain
The well-diggers' day starts before the break of dawn; they wake up, pack their 'dabbas' and leave for the city, sharp at 6am, in search of a day's job and livelihood. They reach the city by 8am and divide themselves into groups of four or six and roam about, hoping someone approaches them with an offer to dig up a well or even clean one. They are practically forced to hawk their expertise much in the same way street vendors hawk theirs. The constantly declining groundwater level, coupled with availability of rigs has rendered digging of open wells obsolete.
Although Bengaluru often grapples with the problem of water scarcity, and residents in most areas are not entitled to free drinking water, it is shocking that the public has failed to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the well diggers. If they are fortunate, they receive one, maybe two offers in a month to dig up wells. The rest of the month is otherwise spent without enough money to even feed their children.
"We have to spend the entire day looking for a job and we aren't lucky most of the time. It is hard to send our children to school and give them a decent life, with the little that we earn. We are paid Rs 4,000 to 5,000 for digging one well, while we charge Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 for cleaning. Our monthly income hardly exceeds Rs 10,000 to 15,000, which is not adequate to run a family these days," said Sreedhar.
Of the 2,000 recharge wells that Muniyappa has dug up across the country in his life, 1,500 are in Bengaluru. The citizens of the city should be grateful to the tireless efforts of this 50-year-old veteran, who has played a vital role in quenching their thirst; however, he is a picture of woe, as he worries about how to get a job to keep his body and soul together.
"There was a time when I would receive calls from Mysuru and other far off places, not only in Karnataka but neighbouring states as well, to dig recharge wells. But now, the picture has changed. I dug up 1,500 wells in the space of ten years, but now, we are lucky if we get to dig one well in a month. We leave behind our names and contact numbers on the walls of the well so someone else can at least contact us," said Muniyappa.
Although their work has gone unnoticed all these years, it remains a source of enduring pride for the community. They not only supply the city with water, but take a greater risk to replenish ground water, since there is always the possibility of the earth caving in at a depth of 30ft and leaving them buried in the rubble.
"When he cultivated the profession among the members of our community, little did my appa (father) know that we would face such challenges. We only want to help people by providing free access to drinking water. Why should they pay for clean drinking water when wells can provide it naturally," asked Muniyappa. So rich is the community's experience that, more often than not, they can accurately guess which part of the earth to dig to get water, and not encounter a layer of hard rock. "We usually do not go wrong," Muniyappa added.
Muniyappa's son, Chinna Munsami has chosen to keep his grandfather's legacy alive by continuing in the same profession despite the trying circumstances. "Groundwater gets recharged only when a well is dug more than 30ft deep. We work in groups of six and finish digging a well in two days. It takes one day for water to percolate to the ground," he said.
Water expert from Biome Environmental Trust, Vishwanath S said, "Almost 18 years ago, Muniyappa stopped me when I was on my bike and asked whether I would hire him to dig a well. I was shocked to find that nobody cared about the community that has supplied us with water, while spending most of their lives in darkness and rubble."
"If rain water is driven to aquifers through recharge wells, groundwater will increase and consequently fill up the city's drying borewells.The amount of water sourced from borewells is equivalent to twice the amount drained out of Cauvery river. Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will save a lot if it seeks the well-diggers' help," he added. For now, Muniyappa and the others have to contend themselves by digging wells, which are funded by private companies or resident groups, with no involvement of the government.