Marathwada: Parched lands, dry wells, empty pots

A summer of discontent looms over Maharashtra, with more than 34% of the state being declared under drought. In Marathwada’s Beed village, a man walks across the dried up Bendsura Dam. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

Published on: Apr 27, 2016 2:08 PM IST

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Published on Apr 27, 2016 2:08 PM

A summer of discontent looms over Maharashtra, with more than 34% of the state being declared under drought. In Marathwada’s Beed village, a man walks across the dried up Bendsura Dam. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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Published on Apr 27, 2016 2:08 PM

Marathwada is one of the worst-hit regions in Maharashtra. A monsoon deficit of 40% has left people high and dry, battling a scarcity of water. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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As wells run dry, procuring water has become a task fraught with danger. At a well in Tanda village in Latur, young boys risk their lives, precariously climbing down a 40 feet well to scoop out the remaining water. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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All of Marathwada’s 8,522 villages are reeling under drought. Not just humans, even animals such as goats and sheep find it hard to find food in the parched region. (Satish Bate/hindustan times)

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The long wait for water has become a part of life for villagers. They queue up hours before a tanker arrives in their area, which is only once in seven days. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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Drought, combined with a searing heatwave, has ensured that these tankers are a crucial lifeline for villagers who are completely dependent on them. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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The water-guzzling sugarcane crop, a mainstay in the region, has been badly hit as well. A helpless farmer sits below a dried lime tree, wondering when the conditions will improve. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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Little girls and boys are forced to miss school so they can fetch water from kilometres away. On April 20, a 12-year-old girl succumbed to the heatwave, after making multiple trips to get water for her family. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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Villagers scramble around a tanker for potable water in Beed. A ‘water train’ is also making regular trips to Latur, to alleviate the scarcity. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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Scarcity of fodder forces many villagers to leave their cattle at government-run cattle centres. But even there, food and water are in short supply. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)

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The lack of water has transformed the work day completely. Each day, women and children have to abandon all their work to queue up for five to six long hours to fetch water. (Satish Bate/Hindustan Times)