Farmer Rahul Kargode of village Pali in Beed district pays Rs 200 for 500 litres of drinking water every two-three days. Since his borewell ran dry, his cane crop is withering (background).
Every year, around 400,000 couples from Beed district in Marathwada migrate to western Maharashtra to work in sugarcane fields, leaving their children and the elderly behind
A private water supplying water to a cattle camp near Beed town. The camp has 799 cattle and daily water requirement is 36,000 litres. The cost of one 12,000 litres tanker is Rs 1500, including the rental and diesel cost. Water has to be sourced from borewells 20 kms away and total per day cost of water is Rs 4500. The camp needs 12 tonne of fodder a day and per tonne cost is Rs 2800. So total per day cost of fodder is Rs 33,600. Beed district has 262 cattle camps with 260925 cattle.
A private water supplying water to a cattle camp near Beed town. The camp has 799 cattle and daily water requirement is 36,000 litres. The cost of one 12,000 litres tanker is Rs 1500, including the rental and diesel cost. Water has to be sourced from borewells 20 kms away and total per day cost of water is Rs 4500. The camp needs 12 tonne of fodder a day and per tonne cost is Rs 2800. So total per day cost of fodder is Rs 33,600. Beed district has 262 cattle camps with 260925 cattle.
ArjunChavan is a 70 years old farmer from Pendgaon in Beed district. He is at the cattle camp since January this year with his 4 cows, 2 oxen and 1 calf. The drought of 1972 wasn't this terrible. We had shortage of food grains but had plenty of water. We used to regularly receive ration from the government. But this time, there is neither water nor fodder. To top it all, ration supplies are irregular. On being asked, why he did not sell his cattle due to extreme drought, he said, Why will I sell my cattle? What will I do without cattle? A farmer cannot cultivate without cattle. Where will milk come from? Where will cow dung come from? Janwarhai to shetkarihai [If there is cattle, there is farmer].
ArjunChavan is a 70 years old farmer from Pendgaon in Beed district. He is at the cattle camp since January this year with his 4 cows, 2 oxen and 1 calf. The drought of 1972 wasn't this terrible. We had shortage of food grains but had plenty of water. We used to regularly receive ration from the government. But this time, there is neither water nor fodder. To top it all, ration supplies are irregular. On being asked, why he did not sell his cattle due to extreme drought, he said, Why will I sell my cattle? What will I do without cattle? A farmer cannot cultivate without cattle. Where will milk come from? Where will cow dung come from? Janwarhai to shetkarihai [If there is cattle, there is farmer].
A cattle camp of 799 cattle daily needs 12 tonne of fodder. Beed district has exhausted all fodder and it is now being sourced from neighbouring districts which has increased the cost of running the camp.