Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is envisioned by the Government of India to provide safe and adequate drinking water to all households in rural India through individual household tap connections by the year 2024. Besides, implementation of the water supply schemes; extensive information, education, stakeholders’ training and communication are the key components of the mission. Key Resource Centers (KRCs) are nationwide selected by Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India with a mandate to undertake capacity building trainings of various stakeholders.
Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT), Jolly Grant, Dehradun, being recognized as KRC by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in April 2021; KRC-HIHT has been pioneering the conduct of one day Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) orientation trainings to around 6540 functionaries including members of the Village Water sanitation committee (VWSC) and representatives of the Panchayati raj Institutions at Nyay Panchayat level for three districts; Dehradun, Haridwar and Rudraprayag of Uttarakhand State in collaboration with State Water and Sanitation Mission (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) Govt. of Uttarakhand.
Major objective of the training program is to inform and share the major details regarding JJM Program objective, its components, strategies and implication of participatory planning and community ownership, financial provision and application of institutional framework and operation and maintenance (O&M) for Har Ghar Jal. Another important objective of the training is to initiate and engage the participants for acquiring those knowledge and skills in the areas of Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQM&S) by Field Testing Kit practically, Sanitary Survey and also to sensitize the participants towards their role and responsibilities about Jal Jeevan Mission Program to ensure the adequate supply of potable water to all the households of their locality ensuring the quality of same on regular and long term basis. In this sequence, KRC-HIHT started one day JJM orientation training programs for 46 Nyay Panchayats of 6 Blocks of Haridwar district since 15th February 2023 and till 20th June 2023, it has conducted 17 batches of training for 17 Nyay Panchayat approaching 4 blocks, viz. Bahadarabad, Laksar, Narsan and Roorkee of Haridwar district wherein around 885 participants have been oriented towards JJM program. KRC- HIHT team consisted of Mr. Vivek Anand, Er. Atul Uniyal, Er. Abhishek Uniyal, Mr. L. S. Bisht and Mr. Naresh Thapliyal handled these trainings as resource persons and facilitators to conduct the same at ground level for Haridwar district.
All training programs were conducted in the meeting hall of the respective blocks; wherein concerned BDOs, ADOs, VPDOs alongwith the departmental JEs, AEs also attended the JJM training sessions and also addressed the participants for their issues and queries regarding JJM. In general, trainings were started with lamp lighting followed by launching of Jal Bharo Campaign, which is a unique way to promote water conservation and its importance. Dignitaries drew the attention of the participants symbolically towards importance of JJM training and related information. Inaugural session was concluded with conduct of Water Oath wherein everyone took commitment towards judicious use of water. During the training deliberations participants were introduced to H.H. Swami Rama, the founder of Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) and shared the background of KRC. They were informed about the purpose and topics of the training and details on the JJM program role and responsibilities of GP and VWSC, establishment of Operation & Maintenance System and decentralized management and convergence of various schemes, public utility.
Crucial issues related with water availability, sustainability as reuse and recharge of ground water, water conservation and security were delivered through sessions on Long term Source Sustainability, Rain Water Harvesting Recharge and Grey Water Management. Also, they were described digital platforms of Jal Jeevan Mission through orientation of JJM dashboard and its demonstration with giving the thrust on the use of integrated management information system (IMIS). Participants were demonstrated procedure of testing of water quality and performed the same practically in session on Field Testing Kit Practical, Sanitary Survey.
Finally, doubts and queries of the participants were resolved by the panel of resource persons and training program was concluded with distribution of certificates to the participants. The participants acknowledged KRC team for training and thanked everyone for providing the information on JJM and sustaining the water supply scheme of their village through village level community participation.
The trainings conducted in Haridwar have been an eye opener for the resource persons and the functionaries of allied agencies and departments. Most of participants were though happy with the content of the training and information they received through the training but at the same they were quite dissatisfied with the nature and quality of water supply construction work and at some the retrofitting work which is being implemented in their villages. As per discussions prevailed, it comes out that there are gaps in terms of technical understanding, communication and coordination among the different stakeholders at the grassroot level. Although, the training has been significant for them since they have got the information about to whom they can meet and/ or lodge their grievances and get the solution for the water supply construction issues.
