Court order to drink public well water? You must be surprised. However, this happened in Bateshwar rural municipality-5 of Dhanusha. The case reached the court after the landlord Ramsevak Sah did not allow Rampujan Yadav's family to drink water from a public well located 20 meters away.

From the plan of Ward No. 4, the budget has been allocated for digging public wells in the year 2076/077. The meeting of the local people agreed that by digging a well, around 15 families in Ward No. 4 and 5 will be able to drink water from the well by installing a motor. According to the same agreement, 14 families of both wards have been drinking water since the well was prepared. However, Rampujan's family was deprived.

After not being able to drink water, he discussed with the locals . It was agreed to pay three thousand rupees for the cleaning of the well and to drink water. Rampujan says that when he went to give the money the next day, Ramsevak refused to take it. He said that money was not taken and he was not allowed to keep the motor. 

Then Rampujan area police office reached Mahendranagar . 'Up to three-four times  They did not agree to come to the discussion,' he said, 'later they agreed verbally but still they did not let them drink water.' 

He says that on July 19, 2081, the Mahendranagar area police office sent an application to the district. But no decision could be made in the district. It is respectfully requested that the petition has been sent back to the taluk executive because the opposition Ramsevak Sah did not come when he was called to the discussion time and time again, and refused to agree when he did come. The letter mentions . 

On 13th October 2081, the Bateshwar Village Judicial Committee decided to 'give water to people'. "It was decided that the current people will be allowed to drink water by installing a motor by paying the annual fee," the judicial committee said in the decision. However, after the decision was not implemented, Rampujan was forced to knock on the door of the Janakpur High Court.

On 3rd January 2081, he registered a writ in the Janakpur High Court. The court granted an interim order the next day. "An interim order has been issued in accordance with section 158 of the National Civil Procedure Code 2074 in the name of the opponents that they should not be deprived of drinking water from public wells as if they were being consumed by other people," the order states. 

High Court's order was also violated by Ramsevak . After that, the contempt case has proceeded against him . However, the payment has been postponed three times in this case . Rampujan, scheduled for the next payday on June 6, said .

Neeraj Karki, chairman of Ward No. 4, said that Ramsevak Sah did not force him to drink water. He says that he took political revenge against the law. "He donated the land and a public well was dug," he said. However, due to political and personal malice, forced drinking of water was not allowed. He also attacked the ward.' 

Ramsevak is close to CPN-UML while Rampujan is from Congress. When the budget for digging wells was allocated, there was a ward president elected from UML. Now the Ward President of Ward No. 4 and 5 is elected by the Congress.

When the government budget was insufficient during the construction of the well, Ramsevak insisted that although he gave more money, he was not allowed to drink water because his money and effort were spent on regular cleaning. "The land is mine". I have also given the insufficient money,' he said with a sigh, 'I will also do the cleaning myself . How can I allow others to be intimidated?' Rampujan said that the dispute arose when he tried to forcibly keep the motor.

After being deprived of a well, Rampujan's family is facing crisis . They have not been able to bathe and wash their clothes regularly. Even the small vegetable garden is barren. As there was no water for feeding, I sold the livestock a year ago,' says Rampujan. He lamented that despite fighting a legal battle for two years, he still could not drink water from the public well. "Water is the first basic need of a human being," said 39-year-old Rampujan, "every citizen has the right". However, my family is deprived of water.'

His family was drinking water from the hand pump at home. However, the call has dried up for two years. Rampujan said that even after digging under 20 meters and pulling it with a motor, no water came. Rampujan's 67-year-old mother, Radha Devi, who is currently fetching water from 400 meters away, narrated her pain. "How much water can I bring to my head from such a distance," she said, "the water brought from there is only enough to cook."

Rampujan's 32-year-old wife Geeta Devi said that due to lack of water, it is a problem to send her children to school. "There are four children at home," she said. There is also a problem in cleaning the dress.' 

Rampujan's 75-year-old father Bachchu has not been able to understand why his family was deprived of water. He said that going to the toilet was also a problem due to lack of water. "You don't know when you need to urinate," he said, "when you have to go, there is no water in the house."

Head of Human Rights Commission Madhesh Province Office Buddhanarayan Sahni says this incident is a serious violation of human rights. It is direct discrimination. It's not a normal thing,' he said, 'the municipality should not just make a decision but should lead to implementation.'