Livestock Crisis Looming Large
The drought in Rajasthan is not the worst in the past 100 years. Yet, the havoc it has caused is much worse than on previous such occasions.
The paucity of drinking water, though acute, is not as severe as that of fodder. Countless heads of cattle have already perished. More are dying everyday. About 40 per cent of the state's livestock population could be wiped out in this drought, it is feared.
The drought relief measures are far too inadequate to cope with the calamity. The state government is quoting paucity of funds to cover its lapses.
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The story of village Tena in Shergarh Tehsil bares it all. According to Bagh Singh, former Sarpanch of the village, relief work started here only around April 23, though the impending scarcity conditions were known since August last.
Only 80 villagers have been given employment, against nearly 400 needy persons identified by the panchayat. Though Rs 60 is the minimum daily wage for such workers, they are paid only Rs 15 to 20, citing low actual work output as the yardstick for payment.
Singh said fodder was scarce in the area and about 50 per cent cattle have already died. The stomachs of the animal carcasses usually contain huge quantities of polythene, which they consume out of sheer desperation.
The government had sanctioned a few fodder depots but they have not started functioning yet. The rate of fodder in the market varies from Rs 400 to 700 a quintal, against the subsidised official price of around Rs 175.
Asked about the position of drinking water, Singh said nearly 30 water tanks had already been constructed.
But, they have been lying in disuse for long as the administration pleads lack of funds for laying the pipelines. Ten handpumps were sanctioned for Tena about five months ago. But these were yet to be installed. "This drought is less severe than 1987 drought. But relief operations were much better then than now," says Uday Singh, Gram Sewak of a cluster of three villages _Khirja Khas, Khirja Nagar and Khirja Asan. He said employment for only 95 persons had been sanctioned, against about 500 people needing such relief.