As reported in www.indianexpress.com by Shweta Desai on Dec 17, 2009
Well inside a house in Mankhurd Narendra Vaskar
Mumbai’s water crisis, considered the worst in its history, has shown how poorly the city is equipped to cope with the situation. Starting today, a series on how residents are struggling to deal with the crisis and the efforts being made to mitigate it
Ram Jaiswal’s 10×10 room houses not only his ironing shop but also a well. Ten feet deep and covered by a plastic drum, it is his answer to the water crisis plaguing the city. “Water would never have reached us otherwise,” says Jaiswal.
The area, Ekta Nagar slums in Mandala, Mankhurd, is near the creek, and a high-suction motor recharges the groundwater in an hour. The brackish water sustains not only his family of five but also their neighbours, Shehnaz Sheikh’s family of six.
“You needn’t be a scientist to find water here. Dig deep anywhere and you will find it. In 10 minutes at least five cans are filled,” says Jaiswal’s wife Neelam.
