Women and water in western Rajasthan
People in the worst-affected
areas of western Rajasthan that third consecutive year of drought had been the
worst drought year in many years. Normally they call a famine Akaal. Virtually
the entire Rajasthan has been affected, with 26 of its 32 districts coming
under drought and near-famine conditions. About 50 per cent of the affected
population belong to the poor community. A substantial percentage of the
sufferers have been small and marginal farmers or landless agricultural
workers.
An observer once remarked that
the poor in the village would face hardships with a smile and seldom give
themselves up. It is probably this will to live at any cost that enables them
to survive this cruel summer even in the absence of credible and sustainable
support mechanisms. Folk songs on drought and famine, therefore, are not uncommon
in some parts of the State.
Women face more hardships rather
than men during drought time. They are spending more around 5 to 8 hour per day
to fetching water specially from poor community. Women are most accountable
among the family to care children and cattle in western part of Rajasthan. They
also working in MNREGA site to earn some money and fulfil basic requirement of
family.
Sahaj is doing efforts to provide water resource to needy family at their home. For this, Sahaj constructing rain water Taanka from last 7 years in western Rajasthan.
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Drought frequency in Rajasthan |