They drink water declared unfit in 2004

Vijaysinh Parmar TNN
Sadla (Surendranagar district): A drinking water crisis is staring this village in the face. People are suffering from kidney stones, joint pain and water-related diseases because water is not potable here. The poor are the worst affected as they can’t afford potable water, says retired government medical officer Dr KM Patel. It costs Rs 2 for 15 litres. This year, the rainfed village will have an even tougher time. Surendranagar district has received only 39 per cent of its annual rainfall so far. According to former sarpanch Sadashiv Vyas, the laboratory report on water quality declared it ‘unfit’ for consumption way back in 2004. The level of total dissolved salts (TDS) in water was 2,300, much above the limit. With depleting groundwater, this rises. “We have brought this to the notice of the government many a time but to no avail,” he says. Gauri Patel, resident of Sadla, is suffering from kidney stones for many years. She knows it’s due to fluoride content in water but is helpless. “Where do I get potable water from? It’s not easily available and is costly. There’s a well but it can’t meet needs of the entire village,” she says. Sadla has a population of 5,000, mostly farmers and pastoral communities. According to gram panchayat officials, there are around 250 families below the poverty line. “The situation is bad this year. We are giving saline water to our animals,” says villager Parma Rabari.