PRAYAGRAJ, June 9 -- Fetching a 'pail of water' is a proverbial uphill task for residents of villages in the rocky terrain of Shankergarh development block in Prayagraj district. Often, they have to go as far as a kilometre for drops of sustenance as the water crisis has become a permanent part of life in this region.

Defunct handpumps, a drastic fall in groundwater level, an abandoned overhead tank or two, dry ponds, extreme heat, allegations of development funds not being properly used and the lack of emergency water tanker services complete the picture of hardship across nearly all 276 villages in 74 gram panchayats of the Shankergarh development block.

Take the case of Ram Dev Singh, a 90-year-old farmer who struggles daily to find ...