‘’Water water everywhere, nor any drop to drink’’ the words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge is apt in Neelamperoor Grama Panchayath of Kuttanad Taluk in Alappuzha district. Life here is in the midst of water but safe drinking water is a very scarce or rare thing for the people of Neelamperoor GP. 95%of the households in the GP buy water for drinking and cooking purposes. They pay Rs 250 for 500 litre tanker water which is brought from Kurichi and near Changanassery areas. There are no piped water supply schemes or any drinking water source in the GP. Therefore, all 13 wards experience water scarcity. People buy drinking water throughout the year. Major part of the GP is affected by salt water intrusion in summer.  At this situation, the GP came across the advertisement of Rain Centre inviting GPs for RWH Project and contacted Office. Accordingly 175 RWH units were sanctioned in 2018. The work was started in October 2018 and completed in March 2019.

The people of Neelamperoor GP are familiar with RWH units. A voluntary organization, CHASS has built many RWH units of 5000 litre capacity few years back. Therefore, they knew the benefit of rain water harvesting. People registered their names in the Grama Sabha. Very good response was received during the induction workshop. Since all wards of the GP experienced water scarcity, the units were distributed equally. More than 50% of the beneficiaries had between 5 and 10 cents of homestead land. Even then, households living in bunds have constructed the units. It was they who experienced the difficulty of carrying water in small boats. Construction materials were brought to many sites in these boats. People were ready with their beneficiary share considering their need for the unit.

A total of 175 units were constructed in the GP. The GP tried to include households living in bunds and interior areas. The project ensured the participation of beneficiaries at all stages of construction. It was implemented under strict supervision of Rain Centre staff and the ward members. Quality of construction as well as materials was ensured. All 175 units were complemented on time. The GP was very much satisfied with the quality of construction and all ward members were active and extended their cooperation in implementing the project. 34% of the beneficiaries belonged to BPL category. In the words of Smt Rajani Babu, the GP President, ‘’this is a very good and useful project. All 175 beneficiaries are benefitted with the project. More people are demanding the project in Grama Sabhas’’.  She added that ‘’people living in 3 cent and 4 cents of land are asking for 5000 litre capacity units’’. 
 
All 175 beneficiaries did not face any water shortage during the last summer. All are maintaining the units well.  Smt. Suseela Baby, Cheepunkal House, Kizhakkechira said, we did not buy water during this summer.  We use the water collected in RWH tank for all purposes.’’ The beneficiaries of this GP are the most benefitted people because whether rain or sun, they had to buy water. This project saves money spent on buying water. Smt. Ramani Joseph, Puthenkalam, Neelamperoor reported, ‘’ it is blessing to us. It is a very useful and successful project. We boil water for drinking. We need not buy drinking water this year. We keep it clean and therefore we use it for drinking as well‘’.  
Households living in bunds who bring water in boats reported that they are the most blessed ones. They collected every single drop of water and ensured that the tank was full with the last rain. So that, this 10000 litre water, was sufficient for them during the summer months.

On the whole it is observed that the project was a great success in Neelamperoor GP. The quality of construction was acclaimed and no any complaint was raised. The GP is of the opinion that they should be given more units considering the acute situation of Kuttanad area.