Activists sit on dharna over Rajasthan drought

Starting today, around 100 activists of the Samajik Nyay Manch (Social Justice Front) have gone on a fast-unto-death at all 32 district head...

Starting today, around 100 activists of the Samajik Nyay Manch (Social Justice Front) have gone on a fast-unto-death at all 32 district headquarters across Rajasthan to protest against the inadequate implementation of drought relief and drinking water schemes across the state.

The activists are joined by students of various colleges, many of who are unable to pay their fees due to the drought. Manch president Devi Singh Bhati, squatting with 100 others at Jaipur’s Statue Circle, said: ‘‘Like Guru Gobind Singh’s Panj Piarey, at least five people are sitting everywhere to pressure the government to act…Shockingly, although 41,000 villages have been declared drought affected, only 38,000 people have been given employment in drought relief programmes. In a 2,000 strong village, a mere 40 people have been employed and that has led to violent disputes among villagers.’’

Their demand is simple: Employment to one person from each family, fodder and medicines for cattle and clean drinking water to all.

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Each protestor has his own horror stories to relate; of hunger, hardships and disease. Villages in Bikaner district are reeling under an epidemic of mumps or diarrhoea.

Yet, alleges Bhati: ‘‘Officials haven’t reached the interiors. Half the cattle have died in north-western Rajasthan where the situation is the worst. Lack of Vitamin A and C is causing night-blindness in cattle and humans. Three days ago, the government formed a team of officials to find out where to get more fodder from. It is being sold for Rs 225 per quintal at fodder depots. How can villagers afford it? Yet the government is spending Rs 1,600 crore on the beautification of cities.’’

Om Prakash Vishnoi, 25, from village Sawasar, district Churu, gestures towards his bandaged head; he got 22 stitches while battling for work in his village. ‘‘Out of 500 people, only 20 were employed in Food For Work programmes. There is no food in my house. I feel it would be better to just die,’’ pipes in Dungara Ram from Nagore district in central Rajasthan. ‘‘Our cattle are dying for want of fodder,’’ says former pradhan from Koliath, district Bikaner.

Karnail Singh Thind, 65, from the irrigated Ganganagar district, says: ‘‘There is only 40 days’ drinking water left in the Indira Gandhi Canal, we have no water for irrigation and no fodder. The 5 kg grain given by the government is not sufficient for a large family.’’

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This is the hundredth fast Singh has sat on and he’s determined to stick it out.

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