Today dry, cracked ground and barren fields cover the landscape of Maharashtra. The farmer’s crops are dying and, with shortages of water supplies, people’s lives waver in the balance.
Clouds hover over the fields, bringing gentle drizzles instead of the usual torrential monsoons, which Northeast India is currently experiencing. How to survive stands at the forefront of many minds in Maharashtra.
Emotional strain
As the natural resources for water are being depleted, many villagers must buy water from vendors. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford this, so livestock – and even farmers’ own lives – are at risk. A number of farmers, because of the emotional strain caused by the loss of their livelihoods, have committed suicide.