maharashtra drought
MAHARASHTRA DROUGHT- A MANMADE TRAGEDY
BY DILIP KUMAR ROY
Maharashtra experienced severe and successive years of drought in 1970-74 and 2000 – 04. One-third of Maharashtra has now been affected by drought, which officials and activists fear could be worse than the one in 1972, the worst Maharashtra has ever known. Successive dry spells in the past two years have induced severe drought in parts of Maharasthra such as Vidarbha and Marathwada, where availability of drinking water has become a major issue. According to the latest government figures, 11,801 villages are reeling under drought. Water sources in 1,779 villages and 4,709 smaller habitations have totally dried up.
Finding water for consumption is just one of the many daunting challenges for people of the State. With irrigation canals running dry, farms have shrivelled. The prime cash crop of sweet lime has been destroyed as the orchards have been parched. Several factors account for the languishing state of agriculture in Maharashtra – heavy monocropping in some areas, limited value addition to support agribusiness, a degrading resource base, excessive withdrawal of ground water and unfavourable market conditions. The drought proneness of the state is a critically additional stress factors that adversely affects productivity, livelihood and the rural economy.
There have been huge diversions of water in the last 15 years to industrial projects. And to private companies also in the lifestyle business. To cities from villages. Blood has been shed over such transfers. Furthermore, irrigation which covers only 16% of the total agricultural area is accessible to mainly to large farmers that have access to power and is widely used for cultivation of sugarcane, a water intensive cash crop.
It is in this context that Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar approved Rs 807-crore package to Maharashtra to deal with rabi crop losses in about 3,900 villages.
BY DILIP KUMAR ROY
Maharashtra experienced severe and successive years of drought in 1970-74 and 2000 – 04. One-third of Maharashtra has now been affected by drought, which officials and activists fear could be worse than the one in 1972, the worst Maharashtra has ever known. Successive dry spells in the past two years have induced severe drought in parts of Maharasthra such as Vidarbha and Marathwada, where availability of drinking water has become a major issue. According to the latest government figures, 11,801 villages are reeling under drought. Water sources in 1,779 villages and 4,709 smaller habitations have totally dried up.
Finding water for consumption is just one of the many daunting challenges for people of the State. With irrigation canals running dry, farms have shrivelled. The prime cash crop of sweet lime has been destroyed as the orchards have been parched. Several factors account for the languishing state of agriculture in Maharashtra – heavy monocropping in some areas, limited value addition to support agribusiness, a degrading resource base, excessive withdrawal of ground water and unfavourable market conditions. The drought proneness of the state is a critically additional stress factors that adversely affects productivity, livelihood and the rural economy.
There have been huge diversions of water in the last 15 years to industrial projects. And to private companies also in the lifestyle business. To cities from villages. Blood has been shed over such transfers. Furthermore, irrigation which covers only 16% of the total agricultural area is accessible to mainly to large farmers that have access to power and is widely used for cultivation of sugarcane, a water intensive cash crop.
It is in this context that Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar approved Rs 807-crore package to Maharashtra to deal with rabi crop losses in about 3,900 villages.