Tuesday, 11 August 2015

Drought - construction of the pond for cattle.

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.  



 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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