INDIACSR Correspondent
BALODA BAZAAR (Raipur): Gone are the days when 12-year-old Soni of Kukurdi village woke up at 4 am and walked 3 kms with her mother to fetch drinking water. She, like many other school-going girls, missed attending school as their village was facing acute water scarcity, and there was no option left but to march a great distance to ensure atleast drinking water for their family’s needs.
However, today, their situation has taken a 360 degree turn as water pumps are available at their doorsteps. All this has been made possible following the dedicated efforts of Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF), which has made its endeavor to consistently work for the betterment of communities in this area.
In the past year, ACF laid water pipelines in Bharseli village benefiting over 100 families with drinking water taps; along with this, seven hand pumps were also installed and a pond was deepened by de-silting around 22000 cubic meters under the initiative. These activities benefitted people from the surrounding villages of Arjuni, Khairtal, Mopar, Sarkipar, Maldi and Kukurdi. Apart from this, ACF has been working with missionary zeal for the developing channels and improving drainage facilities, thus striving to improve water irrigation facilities, all year round.
These initiatives by ACF have also enabled people of the area to not face a water scarcity issue anymore, and brought a collective smile of relief to hundreds as their lives are easier now. Little Soni does not have to miss school because of lack of water; infact, she is attending school regularly and enjoying her lessons of general science and English.
Edited by Vijay Kumar Ratre, Associate Editor, Mumbai.
