Bundelkhand Crisis

June has initiated a new critical phase in the evolving crisis of the Bundelkhand region spread over nearly 70,000 sq km across the states of Uttar Pradesh (up) and Madhya Pradesh. With mass migration of villagers and large number of cattle and other farm animal deaths reported from many villages, the people and animals still remaining are living in great uncertainty of what lies ahead. What is clear is that after the harsh summer, no matter how the monsoon behaves the crisis will continue for several more months.

The situation of Kainthora village located in Kulpahar tehsil of Mahoba district in up is typical of many drought-affected villages of this region. Although it had experienced adverse conditions even earlier, the present phase of the distress started in early February when heavy untimely rain destroyed 70% of the winter crop, mainly wheat and gram at the ripening stage. Early rains prompted villagers to plant the kharif crop of legumes and oilseeds enthusiastically but this was totally wiped out by an intense drought and the yield was almost zero despite all the expenditure incurred by the farmers here. Despite the ruin the optimistic farmers planted the rabi crop on 80% of the farmland but the prolonged drought destroyed their hopes and they got only about 10% of the normal yield. The story of other neighbouring villages is much the same.