The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Drought pushes Lambadas to the brink

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 06, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Drought pushes Lambadas to the brink

By P. Ram Mohan

BHAVANIPET TANDA (NIZAMABAD DT.), OCT. 5. A pall of gloom has descended on this remote tribal village of Machareddy mandal following the death of two Lambada women -- of hunger and disease -- in the past one week.

The woes of the women were identical. Both silently suffered pangs of hunger and the resultant disease while providing their children one meal a day. Banoth Bhavu Singh, husband of Vijji (32) who died yesterday, had committed suicide five years ago, while Dholi's husband deserted her two years ago.

Children orphaned

Both left behind two children. The scene at the dilapidated hut of Vijji was heart-rending with her children, Bali (11) and Santhose (7) weeping inconsolably. The villagers performed the last rites of Vijji as she had no relatives. "The children have to fend for themselves," says Banoth Devsingh, a villager.

The sarpanch, Gaguloth Chandru Singh, blames Government apathy for the deaths. More starvation deaths may occur if urgent steps are not taken, he warns.

No work

The village is the fittest case for the recently-introduced Food Assurance Programme. Four villages, Pothavaram, Esaipet, Arepally and Singarayapallywere selected for the programme, while Bhavanipet was denied the opportunity.

About 90 per cent of the villagers are unemployed as drought has played havoc with the village economy for fourth consecutive year. "We work for one day and sit at home for six days," laments Banoth Singh.

Most of the tribals have lands, that too half acre and above. But, vast tracts remain fallow for want of water, courtesy scanty rainfall and drying borewells.

The poorest tribal families have Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards and are entitled for 35 kg rice at the rate of Rs. 3 per kg. Both Vijji and Dholi had cards, but could not afford to purchase rice, the villagers says.

Ch. Nara Goud, sarpanch of Palavancha says that unless the Food Assurance Scheme is implemented in the entire mandal, the number of starvation deaths will go up.

In the last five years, 63 farmers have committed suicide and 10 starvation deaths occurred in the mandal, he adds.

Collector clarifies

The Collector, D.V. Raidu, has ruled out starvation deaths, saying the two women were covered under the hunger insurance programme, AAY. "We have proof that they had taken rice," he maintains.

He says revenue officials have probed the issue and concluded that the women had been bedridden for one month and died due to illness.

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