Dug wells- A potentially safe source of drinking water for the arsenic and iron contaminated region of Bihar - A paper by Megh Pyne Abhiyan (MPA)

This paper published by Megh Pyne Abhiyan argues that  dug wells slowly started losing their significance following the invention and large scale marketing of hand pumps,. This has led to the transformation of the wells into dumping yards of garbage and also a place, above which houses are getting constructed. However, Megh Pyne Abhiyan, a campaign and functional network started a dug well project in rural Bihar. Though initially a lot of resistance came from people against this endeavour of MPA, later on the campaign managed to bring people together to solve the drinking water problem.

Arsenic contamination of groundwater has been recognised by Megh Pyne Abhiyan (MPA) in 15 districts of north Bihar. The contamination has profound impact on human health that hampers people’s productivity and thereby affecting their livelihood. MPA has collaborated with Advanced Centre for Groundwater Development and Management (ACWADAM), Biome Solutions, Development Alternatives (DA) to understand the groundwater dynamics of the region that includes issues of water quality and its linkages to drinking water and sanitation. The details of this project is elaborated in the paper.

Click here to read the full briefing paper.