Herminal is one of the many sugarcane plantation communities. At the time of
the first survey, the place was still a plantation. In 2008 the area was placed under the land
reform program and the sugar workers were able to avail of the land. The title is still common
and needs to be subdivided. There are 78 households and one of the big problems is supply of
water. Previously before the ram pump system the people had to fetch water from an
unprotected source some 300 meters away and lower situated by 20 meters. In dry season this
source would dry up and the community members had to fetch water from a source farther away.
There consumption was limited to an average of two containers per day because of the distance.
For bathing and laundry, the households would go to the river some 1 kilometer away.