Parched lives

10 June 2012 06:30 pm - 3 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

By Kalpana Sharma
Imagine your eight-year-old daughter carrying a five-litre pot of water on her head and making at least three trips a day in the scorching heat to the nearest water source. For those of us for whom water flows out of a tap, such a scene is unimaginable.
Drought, we are constantly told by politicians, is an annual occurrence and therefore should not cause alarm. Perhaps that explains why this year, the media, with a few honourable exceptions, has chosen to look the other way. Inevitably, you would see a photograph of an old farmer in some drought-stricken village looking woefully at the cracked baked earth that was once his field.

Natural disasters such as droughts or floods take a heavy toll on all — but more on children and the elderly. And women. The gendered division of labour has trapped poor rural women into being the chief collectors and carriers of water, a job that they certainly did not choose. And if mothers are doing this, inevitably their daughters will also be expected to do the same. But what happens to such young girls after successive droughts?
The effects are visible in the short term. These children are most likely to be under-nourished. The amount of food they get at such times would be further reduced. As a result, even the little nourishment these children get in normal times is denied to them at a time when they have to undertake tough physical labour in conditions where even sturdy adults would wilt.
Government figures on child mortality in these circumstances are rarely accurate. No government will admit that children die because they are compelled to walk miles in the sun to fetch water in temperatures exceeding 45 degrees. But over time these are the children that then get added to the list of stunted, under-nourished and malnourished children.
There is no magic wand to wish away drought conditions. But the root cause is not the heat of summer but the overconsumption of groundwater sources, the lack of a policy to conserve and replenish what is there, and to ensure equity in distribution of water.

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 3

Knight Rider Monday, 11 June 2012 07:24 AM

Its sad to see such situations of hardships face by a majority while a the minority still grumble and complain while living in luxury. Thanks for posting this story

Expert Monday, 11 June 2012 08:10 AM

Media should play a more active role in highliging this.
Also there is only one comment on this & only 176 people had viewed it which shows a lack on interest by all parties..

Hussain Monday, 11 June 2012 08:38 AM

Is this picture taken in Sri Lanka? How about the government sinking tube wells in every village in the dry zone, for drinking water for the people who live there? Surely the irrigation department could start up this project of sinking tube wells in each village, not only will this help with clean drinking water, but avoid waterborne deseases to the people, especially children.

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Parched lives

Comments - 3

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

Driving into Colombo’s money spinning car parks!

The runaway prophet?

Veil of uncertainty covering naked truth behind death of schoolgirl

Unwanted attention

Lurking predators make some temples unsafe for novice monks

Reforming abortion law in Sri Lanka

Discrepancies and doubts associated with WFP initiative

Most Viewed in News

Shanaka’s selection a ’strange one’, Manjrekar says after Gujarat’s loss to Super Kings

Lankan passenger from Australia dies on board

Did you attend Natasha’s comedy show? Police will quiz you

State Minister Arundika intervenes to release Chinese passenger detained with forged passport

Why is GR’s staff still heading a unit at President’s Office?

MP who smuggled gold leaves for Dubai

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Tiran orders to remove security for certain people and places

Sri Lanka seeks ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s help to boost tourism

Consuming beef from LSD infected cattle will not harm humans

Special police unit to maintain religious harmony

MIRROR CRICKET

Dhoni in no mood to retire

South Africa’s ’A’ Team Arrival

Charith Asalanka to join team tomorrow after tying the knot

Dimuth recalled, Dushmantha returns for Sri Lanka’s ODI series against Afghanistan

Dhoni in no mood to retire

South Africa’s ’A’ Team Arrival

Charith Asalanka to join team tomorrow after tying the knot

World Rugby Investigation on Sri Lanka in July