SHIMLA: Over 100 Odd Spiti tribals in Tashigang village at 15,256 ft  have got tap water under Jal Jivan Mission. This has made  Tashigang as India’s  highest altitude village to get tap water.  

Located 10 km from Indo-China Border, Himachal government has successfully provided functional domestic tap connections to Tashigang in the Spiti Valley.

Tashigang  village of Himachal is situated at the highest altitude in India. It  also boasts of being  the highest polling station in India.  The villagers have casted cent percent votes in Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll held in October 2021. 

But the main question that the tribals ask: Will water supply continue in winter months or will the pipes freeze as it has been happening in most water schemes in the Spiti  in winter months, making tap water a huge problem? 

Tashigang population is little over 100 souls who have been toughing out the sub-zero temperature that goes down  over minus 20 degree Centigrade in winter months. There are over 47 voters- 29 men and 18 women in this village in 2021. 

In  neighbouring Ladakh the villagers in over dozen high altitude villages also got the tap water in insulated water pipes  in winter under Jal Jivan Mission in 2021, ending their history long misery of water shortage.  

With Tashigang  getting water,  Lahaul-Spiti along with  three other districts of Kinnaur, Chamba and Una have got cent per cent tap water connection, claims the state government spokesperson here.      

In all, the state government has achieved 93.05 per cent target of providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) in eight other districts under Jal Jeevan Mission in in Himachal Pradesh.

As Many 24 blocks, 2331 gram panchayats and 14,661 villages have been fully covered under Jal Jeevan Mission so far.

During the last two and a half years, 8.44 lakh households have been provided with tap connections while during the last 72 years only 7.63 lakh households were provided with tap connections, spokesperson claimed.

Under the mission, a total of Rs 4418.37 crore has been allocated by the Government of India to the state that also includes incentive worth Rs 1,028.43 crore.

Water supply has been provided to 411 habitations which have 22,763 houses in Kinnaur district.

Under JJM, 219 schemes were approved in the district, out of which 155 schemes have been completed and 55 schemes are in progress at an estimated cost of Rs.183 crore.

In Lahaul-Spiti district, water supply has been provided to 364 habitations having 7284 houses.

Seven schemes are being implemented under JJM in the district spending Rs. 122 crore in this tribal district. 

In Chamba district, which is an aspirational district under NITI Aayog, 265 schemes worth Rs. 420 crore are being implemented.  

This also includes tribal sub-divisions Pangi and Bharmour. The target of 100 percent coverage has been achieved by providing functional tap connections to all 121752 households in the district.

Under JJM, women's participation has been ensured in Chamba  district in resource selection, execution of schemes, field water testing.

For this district has been appreciated by the Government of India. 

In Una district also 15 schemes costing Rs. 196 crore are being implemented under JJM.

Under JJM, cent percent target of providing functional tap connections to all 115949 houses in the district has been achieved, claims the government.

Himachal government is also providing the best quantity and quality of potable water to its citizens, says an inspection agency hired by the government.

In the assessment done by the Inspection Agency of the Government of India during the year 2020-21, the quantity and quality of potable water available at the consumer level in various states were examined on various parameters.

In this, Himachal Pradesh has been rated as the best in overall efficiency. The state is the leader in the country.  

Even overall performance of the state is better than those states, which have a higher percentage of providing taps than Himachal Pradesh.

As people are getting better quality water supply, this in turn has improved the standard of living and making them more healthy, said the spokesperson.

Earlier, the villages used to spend lot of time on fetching water from the distant natural sources.

Now they get it from tap water that has saved people's time and they are now using their time to earn their livelihood.

Consequently, women of the state are now work in orchards, flower and vegie fields, and spin socks, sweaters, dohrus and pattus, shawls working in the  handlooms.

This is resulted in a social change. This is promoting  gender equality in tribal areas.