As large swathes of India boil and blister under heatwaves, many women have to risk their lives to fetch water for their families. A video shared by news agency ANI from a village in Maharashtra’s Koshimpada shows how people make life-threatening descents into a deep well for water.

In the clip, a woman can be seen making her way down a well, clinging to the tiny and near-invisible steps. On reaching the bottom of the well, which is almost bone dry except for a small puddle of muddy water, she then fills the dirty water in her pot.

The video also shows ropes with buckets attached to them containing precious water being pulled out. Women carrying thin metal pails on their heads then walk down a dusty remote track.

Vijaykumar Krishnarao Gavit, Maharashtra’s minister of tribal development, promised to address the serious water crises in the community and stated that a tender has been passed to secure water connection to every village in the state.

“Till 2024, every village will have water facility under Jal Jeevan Mission. The tender has been passed for the project,” Gavit said as quoted by news agency ANI.

Lakhs of Indian women and those in other countries are forced to do just that, often walking miles in harsh weather to bring home water.