Community-led well renovation revives rural water security in Uttar Pradesh

By Bharat Dogra 

Traditionally, wells have been a vital source of water for villages across India. Over the years, however, the repair and renovation of many traditional wells has been neglected, leading to their disuse in several rural communities. This neglect has also created serious safety risks, with wandering cattle—and at times even children—falling into wells whose protective walls have collapsed or which have been left in a state of disrepair.

A recent initiative in Jaitpur block of Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh has demonstrated how this trend can be reversed. Over a period of about two years, more than 200 neglected wells were repaired through the joint efforts of the voluntary organisation SRIJAN and the Parivartan initiative, with close involvement of local communities. On average, SRIJAN spent around Rs. 25,000 per well on renovation. In several cases, rural households contributed an equal or even higher amount, underscoring the priority villagers attach to this work and its clear usefulness.

During recent interactions with beneficiary households, residents responded very positively about the impact of the renovations. They recalled that before the work was undertaken, many wells had broken or dangerously low walls, surrounding land that had sunk or become waterlogged, and no proper spaces for bathing, washing clothes, placing engines for lifting water, or allowing cattle to drink. The renovation efforts addressed these multiple concerns. Photographs taken before and after the repairs show marked improvements in water availability, sanitation and safety conditions. The initiative has emerged as a low-cost and replicable model for well renovation with strong community participation.

The benefits of such work increase significantly when well repair is combined with planned water conservation measures at the village level. For instance, carefully dug standardised ditches along natural rainwater flow channels help retain rainwater for longer periods. Other low-cost water conservation options are also available. This integrated approach can be seen in village Rikwaha, where nearly 20 wells have been renovated alongside water conservation efforts that have helped raise the water table. Heera Devi, a resident of the village, says this has also improved irrigation and productivity on her small farm.

The importance of well renovation is especially high in villages and hamlets that still depend heavily on wells for drinking water, sometimes relying almost entirely on a single well. In such cases, maintaining cleanliness and carrying out timely repairs becomes critical.

One such effort took place in the Dalit hamlet of Bhanwarpur village in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, where the poorest households depend on a single, large well built by their ancestors as the main—and often the only—source of drinking water. For several years, the well had required repairs and thorough cleaning, but villagers, including many migrant worker households facing difficulties in the post-COVID period, were unable to arrange the resources. Large quantities of fallen tree leaves had also accumulated in the well, necessitating an extensive cleaning operation.

After visiting the village for reporting, this writer appealed to family members to contribute towards cleaning and renovating the well. Vidyadham Samiti, a voluntary organisation closely involved in supporting the rural poor, also agreed to help. Villagers contributed voluntary labour. The writer’s family provided around Rs. 50,000, while remaining costs were met by Vidyadham Samiti, along with additional voluntary work by villagers. Through this collective effort, a critical community asset was restored.

Note: Photographs are of wells before and after repair in Jaitpur block, and renovation work in Bhanwarpur village.

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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071 and Man over Machine (Vision of Mahatma Gandhi for Our Times)