The National Human Rights Commission has taken a sou motu cognizance of media reports claiming that newly married brides unable to cope with the extreme situation of water shortage is leaving their in-laws’ houses in Dandichi Bari village of Nasik district in Maharashtra.

“The women have to walk a kilometre and a half every summer, from March to June, to fetch water from a nearly dry stream at the bottom of a hill taking a lot of time and patience to fill the pots. Reportedly, families now hesitate to get their daughters married off to men from this village,” the Human Rights body said.

The Commission has observed that this amounts to a gross violation of their basic human rights i.e. Right to Life and Dignity.

“It seems that in spite of several efforts being made by the government agencies and announcement of various schemes to provide potable water, the relief is still away from this particular village,” commented the NHRC.

NHRC quoted a media report published on May 2 in which it was claimed that “the filling one-pot may take three hours and women have to walk a hilly terrain in odd hours twice a day to fetch water first in the morning at 4.00 AM and again after the sunset to avoid the scorching heat. The new brides are often not able to cope with the horrible situation.”

“They are so daunted by the extreme water scarcity that they do not want to stay in the village and return to their maternal homes,” it added.

Meanwhile, the sarpanch of the village, quoted in the said media report, accused the administration of inaction even after being aware of the grave situation that exists in the village.

“The village Sarpanch, reportedly said that many babus and journalists visit the village and take photographs of the suffering of the villagers but no one helps,” NCRC said.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the commission has issued notice to the Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra government and Secretary of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti seeking a detailed report on the matter within six weeks.

The commission said that the report should include the steps being taken or proposed to be taken to redress the grievance of the residents of this village and the present status regarding the availability of drinking water in the area.