‘Cracks in earth like those in my heart’

Raxaul is the worst-hit block in East Champaran. A Pantola panchayat (Raxaul) farmer,Hardeo Mahto,summed up the situation thus: “Cracks in the earth are like those in my heart.”

On August 15,during his Independence Day speech in Patna,Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared the entire state as drought-hit. “Bihar is facing natural calamity for the fourth year in succession…While the state faced devastating floods in 2007 and 2008,drought has hit the state for the second year in succession,” he said.

In fact,on August 3 itself,the state government had confirmed the worst fears of farmers like Dinu Mahto by declaring drought in 28 of the 38 districts.

Bihar often swings between two extremes of flood and drought. This time the drought has come at a time when the Assembly elections are barely two months away,giving ample opportunity for the parties to play the politics of drought. The Chief Minister had earlier this month met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and asked for a Rs 5,062 crore package. The PM had agreed for assessment for a relief package. Nitish had explained to him that Bihar is affected due to 23 per cent rainfall deficit. Though the monsoon usually hits the state mid-June,most districts have experienced scanty rains so far.

Till August 3,the affected districts were Gaya,Jehanabad,Aurangabad,Arwal,Nawadah,Patna,Nalanda,Bhojpur,Buxar,Rohtas,Kaimur,Munger,Sheikhpura,Lakhisarai,Jamui,Begusarai,Bhagalpur,Banka,Siwan,Saran,Muzaffarpur,Sitamarhi,Sheohar,Vaishali,East Champaran,Madhubani,Samastipur and Darbhanga. By August 15,the rest of the 10 districts were also reeling under drought. The average rainfall was 392.8 mm between June 1 and July 31,as against the normal 508.5 mm during this period of the year in the event of good monsoon. Crop cultivation has been less than 47 per cent so far.

On August 13,a nine-member Central team,headed by agriculture department Joint Secretary,toured the worst-affected districts and met state Chief Secretary Anup Mukherjee. The CM called a special Cabinet meeting the very next day. Disaster Management Secretary Vyasji Mishra said the Central team,divided into three sub-teams,toured Jehanabad,Gaya,Aurangabad,Patna,Bhojpur,Buxar,Bhagalpur and Banka to assess paddy-sowing,electricity supply,water pumps,grains and fodder available with the farmers. Mukherjee has also sought reports from DMs. However,a Central package can only be decided by the month-end,but by that time the paddy-sowing season will be over.

The state government plans to distribute 10 kg grain per adult and 7 kg per child in a week for estimated 1.5 crore families. The government will also start giving diesel subsidies to farmers.

Bihar Cabinet Secretary Afzal Amanullah said: “As a matter of immediate relief to the farmers,the state government has suspended recovery of cooperative loans,revenue,lagaan and electric bills for 2010-11. A relief mission will be launched to save crops.”

Farmers will get cash or grains under the provisions of Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Relief will also come under the National Calamity Contingent Fund.

Nitish said that immediate financial help from the Centre is needed with the state CRF having a negative balance. In an election year,Nitish did not forget to remind the Centre about not yet releasing CRF funds for the 2007 floods. Nitish said that with the Centre not providing adequate financial assistance for last year’s drought,the state CRF has hit a negative balance,making it even more difficult for the government to counter this drought.

The affected farmers,however,are not too happy with the state government’s slow reflexes. Anil Kumar Singh,a farmer from Shahri village in Barh,said: “We have,at best,20 days left for paddy-sowing. But by the time the diesel subsidy will start reaching the farmers,the sowing season will be over. Diesel subsidy is like offering milk to the dead.” Singh,who guides over 4,000 farmers under Barh sub-division under the Agriculture Technology Management Agency,said: “Despite owning a tube-well,I am not able to sow paddy in my entire five hectares of land. I could manage sowing in only three hectares.”

Of the 150 hectares of land in Shahri,farmers have been able to sow paddy in only one-third land,thanks to increasing diesel price and dysfunctional government tube-wells. Only one of the five government tube-wells is working,he said.

Singh said agriculture scientists and experts have been suggesting farmers to grow vegetables or pulses like kurthi and arhar (needing two irrigations) in absence of rains.