Chapter Four
Profile of the Study Area and Sample
In this chapter, salient fixures of World Bank project and L.1.C projecf as
well as the demographic and s o c i ~ ~ ~ ~ mcircumstances
rnic
of households in the two
project areas are portrayed. This m i l l provide an essential backdrop for scrutinising the
water supply situation in the two selected project areas.
4.1. World Bank Project -An O v e ~ i e w
The selected World
Puthencruz
comprisii
Vadavucode-F'uthe-,
Bad: project covers an area of 95.5 sq. km. around
four
panchayaths
namely,
Aikkaranadu,
Ihiruvaniyoor,
and P t d n i k h in Kunnthunadu Taluk of Emahlam
district'. The main treatment plant of the project is located specifically at 22km east of
Cochin City along Emakulam-Muvattupuzha road. In consonance with the goal of the
Government to provide protected d d a n g water to the entire &an
and rural
population during the Unaed l\latiols International Drinldng Water Supply and
Sanitation Decade (1981-1991), this area has been selected for the provision of
protected drinking water with World Bank aid. Public Health Engineering D e m e n t
of Kerala (Kerala Water Authorify now) is the agency for execution and maintenance
of the project.
The project is a c o m p ~ t m ~scheme
e
to cakr to four panchayaths namely
A i u , Pootlnikka, Vadawcode-Puthe-
and Thhvaniyoor. These areas are
designated as non-source areasZ The project commenced in June 1985 at a total
original cost of Rs. 48.798 Miliin (382 lakhs)
',which was later revised to 610 hkhs.
Muvattupuzha one of the major pmmual rivers of Kerala is the primary source of
water for the project Reliabii of water is assured further as the tail water of Idulcki
hydroelectric project is being discharged into this river on the upstream. The Scheme
was commissioned in April 1993 with a plant capacity of 7.2 million litres per day4.
Major components of the Scheme are given in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1
Major Components of the World Bank Project, Puthencruz
6 dia metre well
7.2 m i l i i liires per day
Raw water main (punping)
I
Transmission main (gravity)
I
Clear water main (pumping)
1
250metre
Overhead tark
I
One nunber
L
1
Distribution system
Source:
-
The World Bonk
(1994)
Two numbers
I
333kilo metre
' Water Supply and Sonitdon Project India - Kerala'
I & m e ~ Complcbon .Rcpwr,Cr. 1622- IN, July 4-16, Warhington.p.3.
Total population in the project area as per 1991 census is 83%15. Future
population is projected by adopting 20 percent decennial increases that is the rate of
growth of population between 1971 and 1981. The scheme is designed for this
population.
People are occupied mainly in agriculture and are economically backward.
Major crops cultivating in the Project ares are Paddy, coconut, rubber. and tapioca.
Primary objectives of the scheme are:
1.
to
provide
piped
water
supply to
all
people
residing
in
the
project area, and
2 . to increase the supply of water and extend the distribution facilities in the
selected project area
4.2. Socio-Economic Features of Sample Households - World Bank Project
Household survey technqu~: was followed for collecting data atbut the
beneficiaries of the scheme. Total number of households in the project area is 22552
as on April 1999. Out of this 22f1 households were chosen arbitrarily. This constitutes
1 percent of the total households. The same ratio was kept while selecting households
fiom each panchayath. Random numbers were used to select sample units. Requisite
data were obtained by using appropriate schedules. Direct personnel interviews with
the head of the selected households were made and details were entered in the
schedule. Following the random r u m b a , it was found that some houses
were not
making use of project scheme water. This gap has been filled by collecting data
specificaliy from those who mace use of the scheme water. Further, formal and
informal discussions were held with panchayath authorities, engineering personnel
associated with the scheme, and l m d people to get more details regarding the scheme.
4.2.1. Age Composition
As mentioned earlier, total number of households surveyed was 225. There are
965 people residing in 225 households (Table 4.2). 22.6 percent (218) of them are
below the age of 15 and 14.6 percent are above the age of 55 years. These two groups
are treated as dependent group or non-earning members. The remaining 62.8 percent
(606) residents of the households belong to the age group 15-55 years.
Table 4.2
Age Composition-World Bank Project Area
Age Structure
Above 55
Ntrnber of
Percentage of
Cumu!at~e
mPle
people
percentage
141
14 6
965
100 0
100.0
Source: Survey Dofa
4.2.2. Educational Status
Literacy rate in the project area is 87.6 percent (Table 4.3). 63.9 percent of the
literates have gone up to S.S.L.12 of which 39 percent have only primary education.
18.9 percent have gone fw higher studies after S.S.L.C. Less than 1 percent of the
people have a Post Graduation Degree and 3.4 percent possess professional or
Technical education. As a whole, literacy level in the Project area is less than the State
literacy rate of 93.3 percent.
Table 4.3
Literacy Level i n the World Bank Project Area
€ducatowl level
Ntnnber of
Percentage of
people
people
Cumulative
~e-ntage
lll'nerate
Primary
Upper Primary
-
S.S.L.C
Pre Degree
Desree
P.GMigher
Pmfessional
Children below the age of 3
Total
Source: - S m y darn
4.2.3.Occupational Distribution
Occupational structure of any society helps to offer a clear-cut picture of
different economic and non-economic activities in which its people are engaged. As
per the household survey, only 34.61 percent are engaged in activities to earn income
(Table 4.4).
Table 4.4
Employment Status-World Bank Project Area
Number of
people
Categories
315
Nd in labor force*
100.00
32.64
I
I
I
I
-
100.00
965
Total
Cumubt'ive
percentage
Parentage
* Includes childrea, students, and ok aged people.
Source. Survey Daia
The project area is largely dominated by agricultural activiiies. Among those
who are employed 53 percent are agricultural workers. Percentage of salaried people6
is 8.38, while 21.56 percent are self-employed(Table 4.5).
Table 4.5
Occupational St~ucture-WorldBank Project Area
Trade and Business
--
-
Source: Srrrvey Data
Nunber of
Parentage of
Cumulat'we
peop(e
people
percentage
rn
52.99
52.99
11
3.29
56.28
38
11.38
67.66
28
8.38
76.04
72
21.56
97.60
8
2.40
100.%---p
334
100.00
~..
4.2.4. Income Distribution
Income and wealth position of any community always indicates the socio
economic status of its people. Hovrever, it is often difficult to acquire consistent data
about income or assets because of the respondent's apprehensions. 1'0 overcome thii
situation, questions in the schedule were arranged in an interlocking manner, and
direct and indirect questions on tht: possession consumer durables. llve stocks. nature
of the house, particulars of the estates and bank deposits were incorporated.
Majority of people residing in the project area are economically poor. For
instance 27.1 percent of the households are receiving an income less than Rs. 500 per
month (Table 4.6). Average. monthly income of a family is Rs.2016, which means an
average annual income of Rs.2419:!. The per capita income is estimated at Rs.5640,
which is below the State per capita income of Rs.10204'. The family income ranges
between Rs.50 and Rs.12000. It entails that the disparity bemeen lower and upper
household income is very high.
Table 4.6
Distribution of Total Monthly Income - World Bank Project Area
lnmrne slab
Nunber
hwsehol
Below 100
100-250
250-500
500-750
750-1000
1000-1250 -.~12501500
1m 2 0 0 0
2 m 0 0 0 -~
4000-6GUO
Above 6000
.~
~~Total
~p
~
Sourcpr Survey [ M a
~~~
3
29
29
27
3
21
1
32
43
19
~- 18
225
4.2.5. Classification of Households on the Basis of Source of Drinking
Water
People cannot survive withcut water, and therefore utilise water from different
sources just to live on. Main outlet sources of water identified in the project ares are:
wells, private taps, public taps, canals, ponds, and tanker or trucker canying water.
Out of 225 families surveyed, 107 make use of public taps, and 61 households have
private house connections (Table 4.7:.
Table 4.7
Classification of Households on the Basis of the Beneficiary's Intake
Sources of Drinking Water - World Bank Project
Number of
Percentage of
Cumu!at'ive
hxseholds
households
percentage
I
Public taps
Panchayath well
47.6
L
I
m h b o r ' s well
I
I
107
54
74.7
I
24.0
98.7
1.3
100.0
1W.O
-
1
.
Private tap users are funher sub-divided into four namely households using
private tap only, own weU + private tap, neighbur's well + private tap, and public
well + private tap. Table 4.8 reveals that out of the 61 private tap users, 9 households
(4 percent) are exclusively depend on private tap and 52 use it along with other
m e s supplementary sources like neighbour's well, panchayath well and own well.
Similar classification has been made in the case of users of public tap, namely, Public
tap only, own well + public 4, neighbur's well
+ public tap, and public well +
public tap. Here also it can be seen that. out of 107 tap users, only 14 households (6.2
percent) are depending exclusively on public tap and others are using it along with
other supplementary sources.
Table 4.8
Classification of Households on the Basis of Source of Drinking Water
- Details
Number of
Percentage of
Cumulatii
households
households
percentwe
OwnweY +Privatetap
43
19.1
19.1
oWnwell+F'ublictap
63
28.0
47.1
9
4.0
51.1
14
6.2
57.3
32
14.2
71.5
6
2.7
74.2
21
9.3
83.5
P b k Wdl
3
1.3
84.8
P b k WeWPrivate tap
3
1.3
86.1
P h k well+PuMic tap
9
4.0
90.1
Own weWNeighboWswell
22
9.9
100.0
Source of water
Neighbor's Well
Neghbotswell+Private tap
Neighbor's welt+Pubkctap
-
I
TOTAL
-
/
225
1
100.0
1
-
I
Source SurveyDaia
Families depend'i on neiabour's well and panchayath well do not enjoy the
benefit of the scheme. They are tl~eones who need the benefit of the scheme and are
supposed to wme under the Schene. From the survey it is identified that they are not
using project water because the scheme water is not accessible to them. A cross
tabulation of source of water ard accessibility has been made in the World Bank
Project area and results are given in Table 4.9. It is understood from the table that
most of the households using put~lictaps, neighbour's well and public well responded
that the system is not accessible to them. 7he problem of non-accessibility does not
prevail in the case of families having hsuse connections
Table 4.9
Source of Water Accessibility Cross Tabulation -World Bank Project
Accessibility
Source ofwater
Own we#+ Private tap
Own weU+ Public tap
Plivate tap only
Pubk tap only
Neighbor'swell
Neghbor'sweltcprivate tap
-
.
.
-.
--
-
Neighbor'sweltcPublic tap
Panchayth wdl
Panchayathwell+Plivate tap
Courd
3.0
Oh
1.3
1.3
Panchayath Wl+Public tap
Own wel+Neighbou<s well
Count
21.0
22.0
0.5
9.9
I
54.2
Source: Survey Data.
I
45.8
100.0
An income wise classifiuition of households having different source5 of
drinking water has been made in Tdble 4.10. This attempt has been made to know the
sociozconomic status of beneficiaies of public taps, private house connections,
neighbur's well and public well. Ihe table reveals that the income of majority of the
households using public taps, neigl~bur's well and panchayath well, are so low that
they cannot dig an open well of their own, even if they want to do so. Contrary to this,
income status of those having house c:omections is high (Table 4.10).
Table 4.10
Income-Wise Distribution of Source of Drinking Water - World Bank
Project
Neighbor's
well
Total
Pubk well
0
0
3
2
1
29
8
1
29
11
0
27
0
1
3
9
0
21
1
0
1
9
0
32
14
0
43
0
0
0
0
54
3
19
-
18
225
Source Survey Data
4.3. LIC Project
-
A Brief Sketch
LIC assisted wmprehensve water supply system, namely, LIC aided rural
drinking water supply scheme, Kadungalloor (LIC Project), supplies drinking to
Alangad, Kadungalloor. and Karwralloor panchayaths lyin~g about 4 k~nSouth-West
of ,.\lwaye.
11,
Ernakulam district. -'he prqiect encompasses an area of 57.46 sq.km8.
Ihe terrain of the project area is almost level ground with only very few elevated
places. Yet acute shortage of water is experienced in the region especially during
summer season when almost all open wells dr\. up during summer.
'The scheme was taken up on April 12, 1986 with Periyar river as its source.
The river is perennial
and water is available throughout the year. lnitial estimated
project cost was 305 lakhs. It was later revised to Rs. 450 lakhsq. The project was
commissioned in 1993, with a plant c apacity of 10.2 million litres per day''.
The project is designed for a maximum period of 30 years. Total population in
the project area as per 1991 censlls is 91831" . Rate of growth of population in the
project area is taken as 20 percent decennial increase.
Fundamental objective of the scheme is to deliver safe and clean water to all
inhabitants in adequate quantity, ensuring 23 hours pumping per day and a daily
supply of water to the public for 24 l~ours
4.4. Socio-Economic Features of Sample Households
-
the LIC Project
Area
Household survey technique was pursued to gather required information about
the beneficiaries of the LIC aided Rural dinking water Supply Scheme, Kadungalloor.
Total number of households at thc: end of
December, 1999 is estimated to be 24932.
Out of this, 249 households haw: been selected randomly using random tables. Zonal
distribution of sample among 3 panchayaths was done in accordance with the
proportion of each panchayath's population to total population of the LIC Project area.
Information was collected by cot~luctingdirect personal interviews with the members
of the households, executive engireers associated with the scheme. Officers of the
KWA who are responsible for the execution of the project and panchayath authorities.
4.4. I Age Composition - LIC Project Area
Total number of people in 249 sample households is 1190. 24.2 percent (288)
of them are below the age of 15 and 10.2 percent are above the age of 55 years. These
two groups are treated as dependent group or non-earning members. The remaining
65.6 percent (781) residents of th: households belong to the age group 15-55 years.
Details are given in Table 4.1 1.
Table 4.1 1
Age composition - LIC Project Area
cmutati
Nunber of people
Below 15
Above55
Total
11$il
Percentage of people
percentage
24.2
24.2
65.6
89.8
10.2
100.0
-
100
Source: Survey Data
4.4.2 Educational Status
The LIC Project area has a literacy rate of 83.4 percent. Among the people,
14.6 percent are illiterate, 35.3 p m n t have only primary education, 11.3 percent have
upper primary education and 21 percent have gone up to S.S.L.C. Only 15.8 percent
have gone for higher studies after S.S.L.C. As in the case of World Bank Project, here
also illiteracy is found more amlong the old parents. Details are W s h e d in Table
4.12.
Table 4. 12
Educational Status LIC Project Area
-
EducatmaI level
Illiterate
-
Primary
Upper Primary
SSLC
PreDegree
Desree
PWgher
Pmfessional
Children Bekw the age of 3
Total
Source: S u n q Data
4.4.3 Occupational Distribution
As per the household survey, only 32.4 percentage of the population are
This means that
engaged in some sort of produ~:tive services to earn income.
unemployment in the project are1 excluding students and dependent group is 34.8
percent. Table 4.13 gives details of this.
Table 4. 13
Employmerlt Status LIC. Project Area
-
Cunulatii
Percentage of
Number of people
Categcfks
~ercentage
people
Emploved
--
UnempkJyed
Not ~nlabour force
1
1
Total
-
Source Survey Data
100 0
32 9
1190
1
100.0
1
-
I
Occupationally. agricultural labourers dominate in the LIC project area. 61.82
percent of those employed are engaged in agriculture and allied activities.
Percentage of self-employed occ:upies the second place (23.1). Six percentage are
factory workers and 3.4 percentage salaried people. They get regular monthly
income.
People engaged in service sector like trade, business, and such other
commercial activities constitute 1.9 percentage of the total population. Details are
given in Table 4.14.
Table 4. 14
Occupatioi~alStructure - LIC Project Area
Agricuawe
Trade and Business
I
19
I
13
G0wmnent employees
Percentage of
Clmulatwe
people
percentage
61.8
61.8
6.0
67.8
4.9
I
3.4
72.7
76.1
I
Pensioners
3
1I
Total
89
385
76.9
0.8
1I
23.1
1
I
100.0
I
100.0
-
Soum: Suwy data
4.4.4. Inwme Distribution
lncome is a powefil indialor: which reflects the socio economic status of the
community. Since the respondents are suspicious of revealing their real income
questions were asked not only about their monthly income, but other forms of wealth
also namely land holdings, and consumer durables. It is on the basis of this
informati011that the family income is calculated and presented.
Majority of the households residing in the project area are poor and
economically weak For instance, 30.9 percent of the households are receiving an
income less than Ks 500 per m,>nth and 18.1 percentage earn an income between
Rs.500 and 1000 (Table 41 5 ) . /~veragemonthly income per family is Ks.1210. while
average annual income amounts t t ~Rs.14520. The per capita income is estimated at
Rs.3038, which is below the stale per capita income of Rs.10204. As regards the
variations in the family income it ranges between Rs.50 and Rs.15000. It shows that
the disparity between lower and upp:r household income is very high.
Table 4. 15
Classification of Households 3n the Basis of Monthly Income-LIC Project
I
I m m eW
Number of hous?holds
Below 100
100-250
250-500
500-750
750-1000
1000-1250
1250-1500
1500-2000
2oOo4000
4000-6ooa
Above 6000
Tdal
Percentageof
households
Cumulaf~e
Percentage
1
20
56
37
i
8
47
36
15
15
11
3
249
Source: Survey data
4.4.5. Classification of Househclds on the Basis of Source of Drinking
Water - LIC Project
Ground water potential of l5rnakulam district is high. It occupies third place
among 14 districts in terms of gound water potential''. However the ground water
potential of Alangad block is low which has only 1 l m place among 15 blocks. Most of
the wells would dry up in summer and density of salinity is also high. People depend
on different sources for the purpost: of drinking water. Major sources identified in the
project area are: wells. private house connections, public taps, panchayath wells,
canals. ponds, vendor services, and tankers carrying water. Majority of the people are
using public taps for drinking purmse. Categorisation of households on the basis of
source of drinking water is given in Table 4. 16
Table 4. 16
Classification of Households on the Basis of the Beneficiary's Intake
Sources of Drinking Water - LIC Project
Source
Public taps
Pa
th well
Total
,
I
Numberof
households
21.3
21.3
178
71.5
92.8
16
6.4
99.2
2
0.8
100.0
249
100.0
-
Source: Swvey &a
Out of the 249 families surveyed, 178 (71.5 percentage) make use of public
taps and 53 households have priv;ite house connections. Altogether 92.8 percent of the
households make use of the scheme in the project area.
Rest of the families (7.2
percentage) depends on neighbur's well and panchayath well for drinking water.
Private tap users are furlher subdivided into four namely households using
private tap only, own well
+ private tap, neighbour's well + private tap, and public
well + private tap. Table 4. l i reveals that out of the 53 private tap users, 14
households
(5.6 percent) are ext:lusively depend on private tap and 39 use it along
with other supplementary sources like neighbour's well, panchayath well and own
well. Similar clasiication has been made in the case of users of public tap, namely,
Public tap only, own well + pub1 c tap, neighbour's well
+ public tap, and public well
+ public tap. tirre also it can
be seen that. out of 178 tap users. only 40 households
(16.1 percent) are depending cxclusively on public tap and other; are using it along
with other supplementary sources.
Table 4. 17
Classification of Households on the Basis of Source of
Drinking Water - Details
Source
Own well+Private tap
Nmber of
househdds
26
Pw~ntage
of
households
10.5
Cumulative
percentage
10.5
Own welhpublic tap
76
30.5
41 .O
Private tap only
14
5.6
46.6
P t b k tap ooly
40
16.1
62.7
Neghbots well
14
5.6
68.3
Neighbo~ifs+Privatetap
11
4.4
72.7
Neighbots well+Publc tap
57
22.9
95.6
Pamhayath well
2
0.8
96.4
Panchayathwdl+Private tap
2
0.8
97.2
Panchayathwdl+Pllblii tap
5
2.0
99.2
Own wel+Neighbo~dswell
2
0.8
100.0
249
100.0
Tdal
Source: Survey data.
Families depending on neighbur's well and panchayath well do not enjoy the
benefa of the scheme. They are the ones who need the benefit of the scheme and are
supposed to come under the scheme. From the survey it is identified that they are not
using project water because the scheme water is not accessible to them. A cross
tabulation of source of water and accessibility has been made in the LIC Pmject area
and results are given in Table 4.18. It is understood from the table that most of the
households using public taps, nt,ighbur's well and public well responded that the
system is not accessible to them. The problem of non-accessibility does not preiail in
the case of families having house conr~ections.
Table 4.18
Source of Water * Accezsibility Cross Tabulation-L.I.C.Project
Source: Survey data.
An income wise classificztion of households having different sources of
drinking water has been made in 1. thle 4.19. This attempt has been made to know the
socio-economic status of beneficiuies of public taps. private house connections,
98 percent
neighbour's well and public well. I he table reveals that in LIC project
and the income of majority of the
ot. the people using public taps are
households using, neighbour's well, and panchayath well, are also low. There is a
stmng positive relation between incorne and house connections (Table 4.19).
Table 4.19
Income-Wise Distribution of Source of Water - LIC Project
I
F livate house
Public tap
I m m e slab
Panchayath
Neighbor's well
connedion
Total
well
Below 100
0
0
1
100-250
8
0
20
Total
1
Source: Swvey dora
178
1
53
1
16
/
2
1
249
1
4.5. Conclusion
To conclude, it is found that socio-economic characteristics of the population
in World Bank and LIC project areas are identical in many respects. Project areas are
mostly dominated by agricultural .~ctivities.About 53 percent of the people in the
World Bank project and 61.82 perxnt in the LIC project are engaged in agricultural
activities. Number of people usins public taps is high in both places. Income is
strongly correlated to the users of house connections and inversely related to users of
public taps.
57 households in th: World Bank project and 18 families in the LIC
project do not make use of public tap'private tap because of non-accessibility.
Notes and References
I
Kerala Water Authority (1085). 'World Bank Aided Rural Drinking Water
Supply Schemes in Kerala'. Project Report, Kerala Water Supply Subdivision,
Puthencruz, Choondy, p.2.
2
Ibid,
-
World Bank (1994), 'Water Supply And Sanitation Projecf India-Kerala',
3
Implementation Completion Ileport, Cr.1622-LM July 4-16, Washington, p.2
4
bid, p.3.
5
Government of Kerala (1955), 'Demographic Particulars
Level Statistics
-
-
1991', P a n c w h
Ernukulam, D e p m e n t of Economics and Statistics, V i
Bhavan, Thivananthapumr .
6
Employed in Government service
7
Government of Kerala (:!001),
' D n n k q Water Supply and Sanitation',
Economic Review 2000,State Planniing Board, Thiruvananthapuram.
X
Kerala Water Authority ( 1993), 'LIC Aided Rural Dnnlang Water Supply
Scheme to Alengad, Kadungalloor, and Kammalloor Panchayaths', Project
Report, Kerala Water Supply Sub-division, Parur.
9
Kerala Water Authority (1993), 'LIC Aided Rural Drinkmg Water Supply
Scheme to Alengad, Kacungalloor, and Karumalloor Panchayaths', Project
Report, Kerala Water Supp1:t Sub - division, Parur.
10
Kerala Water Authority (1993), 'LIC Aided Rural Drinking Water Supply
Scheme to Alengad, Kad~mgalloor, and Karumalloor Panchayaths', Project
Report, Kerala Water Supplq Sub - division, Parur.
11
Government of Kerala (19')5), 'Demographic Particulars
Level Statistics
-
-
1991 '. Panchayath
Ernahdam, Directorate of Economics and Statistics. Vikas
Bhavan, Thivanamhapuml, p.3.
12
Government of Kerala (15198), 'Ninth Five Year Plan-1997-2002', Report of
the Steering Committee ov Ground Water Resources, State Planning Board,
June, Thiruvananthapuram,11.64.
13
Poor people are those getting an income less than Rs. 1500 per month.