FHTC....Functional House Tap Connections.....

FHTC....Functional House Tap Connections.....

For those of us who are born in metros, specially the middle class and above flowing water from taps is something we take for granted. Water gushes out of our taps as we dreamily brush away our midnight blues in the morning. Most of us would be unaware of what FHTC means.
Some would vaguely remember the announcement of Har Ghar Jal made by the Honourable Prime Minister of our country during his Independence Day speech in August 2019. It is a promise to ensure safe drinking water reaches every household in our country when he launched the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission. 

 FHTC is one of the most important aspects of this mission where it is targeted that all rural households should be provided with Functional Household Tap Connections by 2024.
Having been posted recently as the Mission Director of the State Water and Sanitation Mission which includes the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission I was learning my first lessons specially FHTC as it is the most important.
As an officer implementing important schemes of the government I have always believed in getting a first hand knowledge from the field. I therefore decided to visit a village for my first lessons in FHTC. In times of Covid 19 this would perhaps seem brash but not when I thought about our team members specially the engineers and the technicians who are tirelessly working not only to provide safe drinking water but also to ensure that the Honourable Prime Minister's dream of reducing drudgery of travel for women and girls to get drinking water is completely eradicated.
Devoid of frills and an elaborate reception which normally precedes the visit of any government official, I headed to village Kumbhivali in the Khalapur block of Raigad district to understand the functionality of a FTHC.
A small lane with taps on either sides greeted me.  My child like enthusiasm took over me as I rushed to open the tap and feel the flow of water. Overcome by spontaneous impulse I could barely resist putting my mouth to my hand to savour the fresh flow of water.
The team was flabbergasted, however I was reaasured that there was very little danger of contamination as the water had been purified at the state of art water treatment plant.
Of course a visit to the plant was next on our itenarary but before that I interacted with a few ladies who expressed great satisfaction and joy on the change in their lives due to the FHTC in their village. The water was not only clean but came with great pressure. They were freed of their drudgery and anxiety of struggling for clean drinking water.
The Kumbhivali PWS Scheme is implemented by Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran under Jal Swarajya II project. It is designed for 5 villages and the Patalganga river is the source of the scheme. The Executive Engineer, Mr Kulkarni explained the various components of the scheme like the in-takewell, jackwell, pumphouse, package water tmtreatment plant, zinc aluminium GSR, rising main, gravity main, and distribution system which ultimately led to the FHTCs. The beauty of this was that the Package WTP is not only very compact but being prefabricated saves time in installation. The structure had the same specifications and outcomes as a traditional water treatment plant. However the advantage of package WTP is that it requires very less time and cost compared to RCC construction. The GSR is also prefabricated with zinc alluminium material and has a life of almost sixty years which is way higher than a RCC construction. After seeing the elaborate method of cleaning and purifying water I felt reassured about the water I had spontaneously consumed a few minutes ago.
We also visited a traditional water treatment plant to understand the difference between the two.
The Honad PWS Scheme is implemented by the Zilla Parishad under the NRDWP.
This scheme is designed for three villages and two habitations. An open well is the source of this scheme. The components of this scheme are Existing Openwell, Existing Pump house, Rising main, GSR and Distribution system.
My first lessons in FHTC proved to be enriching as here too the women were joyous to have taps with free flowing water The Deputy Sarpanch was proud that there was no need for tankers.
As rightly said by the Honourable Prime Minister it is not only important to ensure safe drinking water reached every home but that we also took steps to conserve it. We also need to have toilets and maintain them. Both the villages had toilets in working condition and were using the same.
Natural resources are ramping at a pace faster than that of the population, more so water. The demand and supply of water as well as prevention of its misuse and wastage needs to be in focus. The government is poised to do so under the Ministry of Jalshakti which emphasizes on the rightful convergence of different ministries.
However the movement towards water conservation cannot be looked at as a mere government programme with a top down push. It has to be a people's movement with ownership of the community. It needs active participation of leaders in prioritising water and sanitation as a life saving mission in different forms. The Jaljeevan Mission aims to implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, including sustainable use of surface water and groundwater, recharge and reuse of the greywater, or discharged water, desilting of minor irrigation tanks, water conservation and rainwater harvesting. It also has a robust policy of including women and skilling the community and youth as important components.
In short, a 360 degree approach to something as simple as a tap connection which of course has to be functional. Whoa FHTC....We at Maharashtra are raring to go.


P.S. Thank you to field team in Khalapur- Mr. Kulkarni, Executive Engineer, MJP, Mr. Takawale Deputy Engineer, Mr. Jagtap Sectional Engineer, Mr. Lavate, Gramsevak , Mr. Ingale, Deputy Engineer, Zilla Parishad, Mr Metkari, Sectional Engineer, Ms. Ghosalkar Gramsevak and State team, Ms.Prajakta Karnale and Mr.Anuse