Amdar Colony (an adivasi hamlet), in Majhera Panchayat, Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, was established in 2016 to provide a new beginning for 25 displaced Sahariya Adivasi families. However, since their relocation, they have faced severe hardships, including the absence of safe drinking water, healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities.

Before relocation, villagers had access to clean water through hand pumps, but in Amdar Colony, the only installed pump produced contaminated water—red in colour, turning blue when boiled. Residents were forced to walk 2-3 kilometres daily to collect water from unsafe sources. Despite multiple appeals, authorities failed to act, leaving the community struggling for survival.

Amdar Community gathering to go to the collectorate

Zenith Society’s team has been engaging with and supporting the community since 2018. The community made persistent efforts, such as participating jan sunwais (public hearings) 25 kilometres away, dozens of times, foregoing daily wages. When this yielded limited results, the team escalated the matter, filing complaints with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Public Utility Services (PUS) Court, and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on themes such as illegal mining, lack of basic facilities and violence by neighbouring communities. Only under pressure, the local administration installed two new hand pumps, but water samples revealed dangerously high iron content. Additionally, illegal mining in the eco-sensitive zone of Madhav National Park further polluted the air and underground water. Although mining was eventually halted through an NGT order, the water crisis remained unresolved. A temporary water supply from a nearby eatery proved unreliable due to frequent breakdowns and official negligence.

Zenith Society’s Co-Founder, Abhay Jain, with residents of Aamdar Colony

The sole, contaminated water source for 25 families

Years of persistent advocacy led to a breakthrough, and the construction of a large water tank is now underway, promising to be a sustainable water source for Amdar Colony and nearby villages. However, the broader struggle continues, as residents still lack proper healthcare, basic infrastructure, and employment opportunities.

Amdar Colony’s story is one of both resilience and systemic failure. It highlights the urgent need for accountability, and comprehensive support for marginalised communities. It's hard to believe that communities in this digital modern age have to struggle so much to get basic necessities like safe drinking water. Even with lawyers, this fight took so many years - imagine fighting the system without any support. The residents of Amdar Colony understood their constraints, took agency and coordinated with available support systems to make themselves heard, one issue at a time.