Maharashtra
experienced one of its worst droughts this year. The districts of Thane, Satara
and Vidarbha were among the worst hit. Promised aid and relief from the
government hardly found their way to the common man, lost in the many tiers of
bureaucracy that have been put in place. Many have been forced to migrate to
Pune and other cities.
Yet, despite the
continued neglect of the officials, there’s picture of resilience in the face
of such insurmountable adversity. Drinking water is scarce in Mann Taluka. To
lose cattle to drought is a financial disaster and means the loss of the main
source of income for whole families.
In order to help
affected farmers in the face of official apathy, the Mann Deshi Foundation has
started a cattle camp on its own accord. It provides free fodder and water for
all cattle whose owners do not have the means to feed them anymore. The
situation is so grave that people are coming to the cattle camp not only to
feed their animals but also because there’s water for cooking their food.
Help from the
government took a long time coming. The camp, started in April has been able to
provide relief to over 50 neighbouring villages and has saved over 10,000
cattle from the slaughterhouse. With this help, people will find it easier to
recover from the calamity.
Issues pertaining to
the Maharashtra drought find increasing relevance in the face of the irrigation
scam rocking the State. The images here are part of an ongoing documentation of
the drought. The series attempts to highlight the plight and the resilience of
people in a precarious and ever-changing environment. The images were taken
using moonlight and the few lamp posts provided at the camp.














