A Catholic bishop is the first religious leader to join community efforts dealing with water shortages in Jhabua district in the central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. Bishop Basil Bhuria of Jhabua, four priests and nearly 80 Catholic community members worked on Hathipava Hill May 21 to fill hundreds of pits prepared for planting saplings with black soil. The prelate was respond-ing to a call for religious leaders by police superintendent Mahesh Chandra Jain in Jhabua district to support community efforts to tackle water shortages.

“People in many villages in my diocese have to walk several kilometres to fetch water during summer. It is difficult for people to source enough water to drink, for agriculture, cattle and other needs,” Bishop Bhuria said.