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WATER DISASTER BREAKS MARRIAGES AND MORE

by Neha Swaminathan | 27-03-2013 15:10 recommendations 0

Following article reproduced in interest of showing what is the risk to sustainability and to share it not only for the humor of brides running away from grooms but also for highlighting the seriousness of the situation. All credits go to the Newspaper and the news reporter. You may directly read from the following link:

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Girls-ditch-grooms-in-parched-Gujarat-villages/articleshow/19229056.cms

 

Article reproduced from above link:

 

They were the most eligible bachelors in their village. Then drought struck Dedan village near Amreli and the same men suddenly turned unfit for marriage. The water crisis here has effectively extended their bachelorhood.

Parents of to-be brides have called off engagements of at least four youths in this village of around 12,000 in the past couple of months. The reason is they don't want their daughters to walk a minimum of 5 km daily just to fetch drinking water for their families.

This only shows how severe the water crisis has become in Saurashtra, and Amreli is at the forefront in the battle for survival. The district received just 56% of its average annual rainfall in 2012, as against 93% in 2011. While Amreli town itself gets drinking water every 12 days that too in some areas only, other towns and villages are witnessing fierce clashes between people and local civic authorities.

"As soon as the girl's parents got to know about the trek for water, they cancelled the engagements," said a family member of 25-year-old Yunus Gori in Dedan. He was set to marry a girl from Palitana.

Sameer Gori, 28, a shopkeeper in Dedan too is worried after his engagement to a Rajkot girl broke on the same grounds. While the entire Amreli district is water-starved, Dedan's problem is more acute as the common well, the only source of drinking water, has dried up. The village is at the mercy of erratic and expensive water tankers. "Nobody wants to get their daughters married in our village and the water situation is only getting worse," admits sarpanch Nathu Rathod. "We have repeatedly requested the government to dig a borewell or supply tankers regularly, but to no avail."

Women wake at 5am just to fetch water. "We are forced to shell out around Rs100 for a 500-litre tanker," says Sultan Khan, a villager. Some have unwillingly moved out for the sake of their boys' future. "We made all efforts to get our son married for three years. But the first question the girls' parents ask is about the water situation," says Valji Patel (name changed), who has shifted to Surat.

 

So Boys and Girls too! Let's act now to save our and future lives

 

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  • Dormant user Neha Swaminathan
 
 
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19 Comments

  • says :
    Thank you for sharing.
    Posted 28-08-2013 10:44

  • says :
    Thanks for Sharing, Neha.
    Posted 16-06-2013 20:03

  • says :
    great report! We must act now to prevent things like that keep happening!
    Posted 29-03-2013 11:14

  • says :
    I guess awareness program can make people about this ore
    Posted 29-03-2013 03:07

  • says :
    We should act now
    Posted 29-03-2013 03:04

  • says :
    really good story
    Posted 29-03-2013 03:03

  • says :
    It's scary that the story is real ohhh... thanks for sharing the news, Neha!
    Posted 28-03-2013 10:02

  • says :
    keep going and good luck
    Posted 28-03-2013 01:49

  • says :
    u r welcome
    Posted 28-03-2013 01:49

  • Neha Swaminathan says :
    Agree with you Pratap and Anjana
    Posted 28-03-2013 01:16

  • says :
    nice work
    Posted 28-03-2013 00:54

  • says :
    Water is the life.
    Posted 27-03-2013 23:33

  • says :
    water(irrigation) is pivotal for agriculture development.
    Posted 27-03-2013 20:59

  • says :
    water(irrigation) is pivotal for agriculture development.
    Posted 27-03-2013 20:58

  • says :
    Water source of life and no one would risk life..hope they will find solution very soon
    Posted 27-03-2013 19:39

  • says :
    water :'(
    Posted 27-03-2013 16:29

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