70-year-old digs well to solve water crisis in MP village

A 70-year-old man, Sitaram Rajput, is single-handedly digging out a well since last three years to help solve the water crisis in Hadua village in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur.

The village has a population of around 300 people.

"Besides a hand pump, the people in our village don't have any other source to obtain water. I started digging this well three years ago and was able to reach the water level. However, sometime later rainfall closed the well. So, now I have again started digging again," Sitaram told ANI.

"Nobody is ready to help us including the government. I have used my money for this work. Not only humans, the animals in the village are also suffering due to less availability of water," he added.

After hearing about Hadua village's problem, Union Minister Virendra Khatik told ANI: "I pay respect to the willpower of Sitaram Rajput. Even a 20-year-old man can't match his willpower. I have done a meeting with the Collector of the district and he has assured me that within two days he will come up with a solution on the same."

Khatik further said that he will consult the Centre to honour Sitaram for his work.