The severe drought has people pushed to a corner. And all communities are getting together to discuss various possibilities.
The village people from all the hamlets got together to discuss
urgent and cost effective interventions. As first priority people wanted a wall built on a large sheet rock outside the village so that the slope would ensure a large water
storage to function as a water pond for cattle.
The works cost 4 lakhs which Nagesh and
Krishnamurthy worked towards raising, and the people built it on priority. A
single rain itself has resulted in some water which will serve the cattle.
The local people know
best what their pressures and priotrities are. But no government programme was
available to do this under, and they raised money from elsewere; The government
needs to devolve finances and powerd to the gram panchayat, trusting their
intelligence and common sense.
I asked Krishnamurthy if government money would not have been possible. He sniffed and said that the government just has some categories of spending, and what is suggested from the ground is not listened to. He said that for instance the government gives funds to build toilets, when there is no water to even drink, forget flushing.
I asked Krishnamurthy if government money would not have been possible. He sniffed and said that the government just has some categories of spending, and what is suggested from the ground is not listened to. He said that for instance the government gives funds to build toilets, when there is no water to even drink, forget flushing.
In one rain a good amount of water collected. But as the construction was still unerway, a pump was organised to pump out all the water, and continue with the construction.
(Krishnamurthy said that the govt would have cost this
at 20 lakhs. He said that the water tanks dotting the countryside are
themselves 8 lakhs. Krishnamurthy is a
local farmer who has done his MA Economics, and has a feel of the
urban world also. He returned to farm after his studies. But he is also now
getting crushed as are all farmers.)
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