Farmer 'turns bullock' for survival

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Buldhana (Maharashtra): It's festival season in Maharashtra, but celebrations are not for all, especially farmers in Vidarbha.

Heavy downpour and flooding after years of continuous drought in the region have played havoc in the life of poverty-ridden farmers. One of the farmers even forced to take the roll of a bullock to plough his fields to survive.

Shankar Dabe Rao, a cotton farmer in Maharshtra's Buldhana District has been forced to fill in for one of his bullocks, which was washed away in the recent floods.

The water took with it not just the bull, which was bought with borrowed money, but also Shankar's crops, his only source of income to re-pay the loan.

And to break this cycle of ever increasing debt, Shankar says, he had no choice but to take the place of his bull and ask his 72-year-old father to help him plough the field.

"I am waiting for the government's rehabilitation package. My financial situation is so bad that I have even thought of committing suicide," said Shankar.

Shankar takes the place of his bull while his 72-year-old father helps him plough the field

Shankar's tale tells the story of the larger tragedy of western Maharashtra. After years of continuous drought, it’s the heavy downpour and flooding since the beginning of August, which has played havoc destroying 62 thousand hectares of crop and countless lives.

Opposition leaders say even the Prime Minister's visit, and announcements of relief packages haven't helped the ailing farmers of this area.

"There are 12 villages in Buldhana that are still flooded and haven't got relief because the administration here is ineffective," says BJP leader Bhausaheb Fodgar.

With over 150 farmers having committed suicide in this region in the month after the Prime Minister's visit, the state government is working out a compensation package for poor farmers, but many like Shankar fear it may just be too little and too late.

(With inputs from Avinash Raut)