Availability of safe drinking water remains a concern in rural belts of the country that leads to increased health burden for water-borne diseases. Farmers, especially during the peak harvest visit the mandis to sell their produce. Tube wells which cater to drinking water are dry due to depleting water levels. Farmers in that case resort to unsafe sources of water to quench their thirst and often fall sick of water contamination which adversely affects their livelihood in the peak season of harvest.
To address the challenge, FDI with the support from PI Foundation Trust launched a programme of providing safe drinking water to needy farmers and labourers in 36 mandis of Punjab, Haryana and J&K with the active support from mandi development committee.
Under the project, RO mineral water was purchased and water stalls were set up within the mandis. We provided drinking water to 43,717 farmers in different grain markets of Punjab and Haryana. The project has benefited the underprivileged farmers and labourers, and has safeguarded them against dehydration & diseases due to unsafe consumption of water.