Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Drought drives people to cities

By N. Rahul

NAGARKURNOOL (Mahboobnagar dt.) March 6. Clusters of ramschackled houses are locked in villages near here. The severe drought has driven their inmates to Orissa, Chattisgarh, Hyderabad and many other places in search of work.

Large tracts of land, which have been uncultivated have developed cracks in the earth. The second crop was not raised in many holdings for lack of irrigation facility, while the first one itself hardly gave the owners any returns. It is a grim struggle for survival for many elderly and infirm people who have been left behind in the villages by their able-bodied kith and kin. A handful of them in each habitation have drawn the drought pension of Rs. 75 a month for December and January, but a majority are left with no money or food. They have taken to begging.

The depleting water table in the wells has made life miserable for villagers. Youngsters are seen covering long distances to carry water on their shoulders. A visit to the Panchayat Raj Minister, N. Janardhan Reddy's native village, Nagapur, revealed pathetic tales of scores of villagers who sold away cattle unable to find fodder. The animals were otherwise fed maize stalks.

It was in these circumstances that the CPI (M) opened a gruel centre to supply liquid diet to the needy at Bondalapalli village, 10 km. from here, on Thursday. The diet prepared of millets will be supplied every day at 8 am until the onset of the monsoon.

The party will open another gruel centre at Gaddegudem village of Devarakadra mandal in the district on Friday and go on with one centre in each district till the party-sponsored demonstrations in all mandal headquarters demanding drought relief measures on March 12.

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