Farmers in drought-hit Maharashtra district forced to make cattle camps their home: Report

Representative image

Over 50,000 farmers from across Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra have settled in cattle camps since March as sources of water have dried up in the region, Times of India has reported.

According to the report, the district administration set up about 500 cattle camps across the eight talukas in Ahmednagar. The purpose of the camps is to ensure that sufficient fodder and water is provided to the cattle. The report states that there are around 1,500 such camps across Maharashtra, with each camp having 1,000 cattle sheds.

While one member of the family is required to be present round the clock at the camp, families in Ahmednagar have made the camps their temporary homes due to drought in the region.

"This has been our home since March this year," Dagru (91), who is living in one of the cattle camps along with his wife, told the newspaper. He added that they have to face a number of problems in the camp, but they have "little choice".

According to the report, a number of farmers whose hamlets are far from the cattle camps have shifted along with their families. The report states that such farmers cook meals at the camp and go looking for work, a schedule that they plan to follow at least until the rains arrive.

"I have shifted my entire family of six to the camp as my village, Dhamgaon, is far away. There is no other alternative for us; my cattle provide us livelihood. They need to survive," Baban Waykar, who has shifted to a camp in Mali Babhulgaon village in Pathardi taluka, said.

Ahmednagar received only 69 percent of its annual rainfall last year. According to the report, farmers have claimed that the water scarcity has gone from bad to worse in the past three months.

The camps themselves are run by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charitable trusts. The state government pays the outfits fixed rates, and has also set up flying squads to keep a tab on the operation of the camps. They are provided water by tankers everyday.

The report, quoting officials, states that the camps are working well. The flying squads have found irregularities with some, and have also imposed a fine. "We have penalised some NGOs Rs 44 lakh for not adhering to the guidelines like establishing CCTVs, a separate shed for ailing cattle, not providing proper fodder, not maintaining records properly," district officials told the newspaper.

On their part, the NGOs have claimed that the administration delays payment. Moreover, water tankers have also increased their rates since they have to fetch water from faraway places. Unavailability of fodder is also a problem.

"... Our cost to manage the camps has sky-rocketed and unless the administration gives us funds at regular intervals, it would be difficult for us," Sanjay Palve, manager of one of the camps at Akole village told the newspaper.