The 'Hill Water & Livelihoods- the Nilgiris Water Resources' project was a study on the water resources and use situation in the Nilgiris conducted by the Keystone Foundation during the period between June 2001 and June 2002. The 'Small Grants Program of the Ford Foundation - Winrock International India', supported the project.
The project culminated in a Stakeholders Workshop that brought out a range of issues that needed further investigation. From September 2002 to January 2003, a series of 'Citizens Meetings' were held in different taluks of the district to share the findings of the study and understand their perspectives on local management of water resources. The result of the feedback from the Citizens Meetings is the new proposal titled - The Nilgiris Water Resources Project - Keystone Foundation January 26, 2006. One serious concern was that in spite of water being a common property resource, there is no attempt at the participatory management of water. Furthermore, the erosion of the old water-sharing and management mechanisms of the indigenous hill communities is a 'telling' indication of the neglect of modern society of an age old, functional natural resource management system.
The Water Resources Project Area is being implemented in Sigur Plateau - an important zone for indigenous communities, wildlife and water resources. This plateau is adjacent to the Moyar gorge which is a landmark in the Nilgiris Water trajectory. Keystone had been working in this area since 2003 mainly on beekeeping training to tribals and starting up nurseries of useful food plants in a small way. There are 7 tribal villages in the Sigur plateau and we work in all of them.
One of the villages - Vazhaithottam is where the community has provided us a rented place to house our field station. In 2005 we renovated this place to add more space, build a small water testing lab. Today every 15 days - water samples are tested and results displayed and explained to villagers from this centre. This is a first time that this has happened. Connected to the water testing and understanding the linkage between water pollution and water-borne diseases - we organized a one day workshop to bring a qualified doctor to explain each parameter and the effects of coli form to organs.
