Accessibility of Water Among Scheduled Castes in Rural Punjab Issues and Challenges

Abstract

Access and availability to safe drinking water is not only an important gauge of the socioeconomic status of the household but is also imperative to the health of its members. Efforts have made for high coverage of water in Punjab. In spite of huge progress, the rural water sector still continues to face major challenges. The problem is more acute among Scheduled Castes as only 78 per cent households had drinking water source within the premises in Punjab as per Census 2011. The main objective of the study is to analyses the status and problems of water accessibility among this marginalized section of the society. The present research is based on both Secondary and Primary sources of data collected from SC households in rural Mansa in Punjab. Empirical data was collected through intensive field work using the survey method. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted. A sample of 200 Scheduled Caste households from 10 villages was selected for the study. The present research unveils that Scheduled castes families face threats to all three prerequisites of an individual’s right to water i.e. there is insufficient water availability, lack of access to water and danger due to water quality, making them easy prey to a number of diseases.