Even farmers and people of Bundelkhand are struggling to make ends meet and are migrating to escape hunger and poverty, the Uttar Pradesh government claims that there have been no hunger related deaths in the region which has been battling a famine-like situation for the past two years. Instead officials blame nature’s fury and changes in weather for the distress in the region.
Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav, whose party is in power in Uttar Pradesh, says there has been no hunger related deaths in the region. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is all set to visit the area after CNN-IBN ground reports highlighted how farmers in Bundelkhand are battling poverty and hunger.
Seven years since a relief package was announced for the region, there has been no impact yet. However, Bundelkhand Development Authority Chairman Ramkrishna Kusmaria asserted the package for the region was used by all departments for the development of the region.
"The money that came from Bundelkhand Package all went to various departments of the government. All departments have worked on the packages. The agricultural department has also received the money. You can go and check the excellent work we have done in mandis using that money. All crops like wheat and gram that used to rot and go to waste, a good arrangement has been made to preserve them and other departments like the forest department also received the benefit. All the departments used the money wisely," he said.
He also denied reports of massive leakages in allocation of money for the projects. "The money came into my department and we used it correctly in a cent-percent manner. You can go and check," he said.
Several markets were built and wells dug in the region under the package. But the market areas continue to be empty and the wells are dry.
Kusmaria, however, maintains that the wells are built fine but there's no water anywhere. He instead blamed changes in the weather pattern for Bundelkhand's misery. "The water level went down to 900-1,000 feet. There is no rainfall. Mother nature is angry. The balance between the five elements is not right. And whatever is happening in the name of globalisation in the world, the way they are playing with nature, these are the results. Tsunami, hailstorm, drought, etc., which are all related to global warming is the reason behind natural imbalance. It is a huge work. All of us need to work together," he said.
While migration from Bundelkhand has only increased signalling that the package has failed, the Bundelkhand Development Authority Chairman said people are moving out because of severe drought in the region.
"People don't have water for their animals. This is a grave distress for all. There is no two sides to this argument. People are fleeing to cities where there is water. This is due to the natural disaster. And this is not due to the work which is not done in package," he claimed.
Comments
0 comment