Vijaysinh Parmar I TNN Mandva (Porbandar district): Women in Mandva village in Kutiyanataluka, Porbandar district, are a happy lot. Unlike their counterparts in many other villages, they don't have to walk miles to fetch water. Interestingly, in this very village water used to be distributed through cards because of severe shortage. The change has come about because villagers decided to take matters in their hands. "We had been facing water crisis and had to use saline water for purposes other than drinking. We issued cards to all families and used to give 15 litres per person per day. The card was punched to avoid misuse," says village sarpanch Jagmal Varu. There was no potable water source in the village. So, money was collected from the village as community contribution (lok falo). "In one day, we collected Rs 1.16 lakh. The rest we obtained from government reform programme. Using this amount we built a one lakh litre capacity sump and laid a four-km pipeline says Varu. Soon, villagers will enjoy water 24X7. According to Varu, because of the check dam built on Bhadar river village's water sources are recharged. The drinking water facility has changed social dynamics as well. "Many youngsters couldn't get married due to water shortage. Now, they're settled," says Varu. To make the system efficient water cess (pani vero) of Rs 40 per person per year is collected the village has a population of 2,600, mostly farmers. "Due to availability of water we have been able to plant 3,000 trees in the village. In the school, we have planted 200 trees which are connected to the tap," says panchayat member and operator of the water distribution system Dinesh Varu.