Meet the ‘waterman’ from Rajasthan, who turned his solar auto into a water hut
Mohammed Aabad has been distributing about 2,000 litres of water throughout the day to the residents of Sujangarh at his own expense.
Rajasthan’s Churu district is one of the hottest places in India. With the temperatures exceeding 50 degrees in summers and limited availability of water, residents face severe water-shortage and dehydration issue.
Aiming to quench the thirst of the people of Sujangarh town in Churu, Mohammad Aabad converted his solar-powered autorickshaw into a moving water tank. He fitted his auto with a water tank which distributes over 2,000 litres of water throughout the day.
Image: The New Indian Express
He starts his day at 7 am, and provides water through his ‘water hut,’ as he calls it, until 5 pm.
“If my extra 10 minutes can help a needy get a glass of water, I consider myself fortunate enough to be there for someone,” Aabad, who has made this his life’s mission, told The Better India.
He has been distributing water for the last five years and claims that about 3,000 people drink water from his moving ‘water hut’ every day. He spends about 30 mins providing water at places like the government hospital, government office, the court, vegetable market, railway, and bus stations.
Aabad also has a loudspeaker on top of the vehicle which plays songs and messages about the novel coronavirus to create awareness among the residents of the town. Aabad funded the entire initiative with his own savings. He has installed solar panels as well in his vehicle, which powers the speakers every day.
He started this service in memory of his brother Mohammed Seth who died in a road accident.
“I used to love my brother a lot and wanted to keep his memory alive. So I thought the best way to remember him would be to serve people in a special way. As Churu is the hottest place in the country, I thought the best way to serve people would be to quench their thirst. By providing cold water all through the hot season, I feel delighted that I can serve an average of about 3,000 people daily,” Aabad told The New Indian Express.
Aabad fills water from an RO plant from his own pocket. On a daily basis, he spends about Rs 2,000 to purchase the 2,000 litres of water. He meets an average expense of Rs 60,000 every month. His family also supports this endeavour.
“My three sons have stable jobs. They know the emotion behind this act, and sometimes they also pitch in. I also get donations, and sometimes people insist on paying a small amount,” he added.
Overwhelmed by his kindness, the residents often thank and bless him. He believes that these small gestures keep him motivated. “Their love is what makes me tirelessly roam around the town, and I have sworn to myself that I will continue doing this work till my last breath,” he said.
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Edited by Suman Singh