Gaya: Twenty years ago, a young man was disturbed when he saw women walking distances to fetch drinking water under the scorching sun with heavy pots on their heads. That sight stayed with him till he decided to do something about it. It was 2004, the year that charted the future course of action of Vivek Kumar Kalyan, a native of Bodh Gaya in Bihar. By today, Vivek has installed more than 2000 hand pumps across 500 villages, from Jharkhand to Nepal border, changing lives of many.
“I saw women trekking long distances under the scorching sun, just for a pot of water. It shook me. That’s when I decided I had to do something about it and sort out the issue,” recalls Vivek.
A mission that started with little money saved from his pocket expenses has now grown into a movement where people from within and outside the country have been joining Vivek, some funding for 10, 15 or 50 handpumps. Families and local organisations also chipped in.
His work largely focuses on marginalised communities, at the Dalit settlements, remote villages, and areas where government intervention is either not there or too less. “Water scarcity is a bigger problem than most realise. It is a matter of survival. Those having to struggle to get water must be bailed out of the problem,” he says.
Because of bureaucratic hurdles in the government which is usually time-consuming, most people have started knocking the doors of Vivek for solving water issues. "They say they have to go through so many processes to get a government handpump installed so they feel comfortable calling me or my team," says Vivek. Today, his team ensures that a hand pump is installed within 24 hours of receiving a call. The same applies to repairing of broken pumps. Villagers, local leaders, even government officials call him when they need help on an immediate basis. “Sometimes, I feel I’m running a government department,” he jokes.
As Vivek’s work gained momentum, his network also grew. He founded the Siddharth Campaign Trust, an organisation dedicated to ensure potable water access and ensured that at most places he stations five of his team members. "The international travelers visiting Bodh Gaya saw the work and without even being asked volunteered to be a part of the process," informs Vivek.
His work caught the attention of people like former President Ram Nath Kovind. “When he was the Governor of Bihar, he met me and praised my work, encouraged me to keep going,” Vivek recalls. Even a delegation from Vietnam recognised his efforts, adding to his already growing global support.
Because of the varied terrains across the villages, Vivek’s team uses three different boring techniques—diamond boring, diesel boring, and hand boring. Each hand pump costs around Rs 50,000.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vivek lured people to vaccinate themselves and family with a promise that he would install a hand pump in their village. His ‘water-for-vaccine’ campaign helped boost immunisation numbers while also addressing water shortage.
Despite two decades of work, Vivek’s enthusiasm has not taken a beating. “As long as I live, I will keep installing hand pumps,” he says with conviction."
"The happiness in the faces of the villagers is worth seeing after a handpump is installed in that area or village," says Vivek, content with the work he is doing. Phone numbers have been issued on which anyone can make a distress call to Vivek or even message him on Facebook.
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