This tribal village in Gujarat awaits drinking water despite ₹82-crore supply scheme

Despite claims of expanded access to clean drinking water, residents of a tribal village in Gujarat’s Chhotaudepur district say they are yet to receive water from a multi-crore government scheme that was meant to supply piped water to dozens of villages.

Villagers in Kukarda in Naswadi taluka allege that the Kuppa Water Supply Scheme — built at a reported cost of ₹82 crore — exists largely on paper, even though the infrastructure was completed nearly three years ago.

The scheme was designed to provide filtered drinking water sourced from the Narmada River to 82 villages in the region. In Kukarda, pipelines were laid, storage tanks were constructed and taps were installed in homes as part of the project.

However, villagers claim that not a single drop of water has flowed from those taps since the system was completed.

Around 6,000 people live across 12 housing colonies, locally known as ‘phalias’, in Kukarda village. With the onset of summer, residents say water levels in borewells managed by the village panchayat have fallen sharply while nearby seasonal rivers have also dried up.

The situation is particularly severe in Bodabara colony, which has a population of around 500. Despite the presence of pipelines and other infrastructure, residents say they continue to struggle daily for drinking water.

Officials from the state water supply department, however, maintain that the scheme is functioning successfully and that water is being supplied to households.

Villagers dispute these claims and question how such a large sum could be spent without delivering water to the community. Some residents allege that while development figures may appear in official records, the benefits have not reached the ground.

Villagers are now urging authorities to ensure that the Kuppa water supply scheme becomes operational and that the promised piped water supply reaches their homes as soon as possible.