Double Whammy Of Lockdown & Heat For Sonbhadra Villagers

Along with lockdown restrictions, Sonbhadra, eastern Uttar Pradesh’s tribal-majority district, is also bearing the brunt of the rising summer heat. With the rise in temperature, water scarcity also increases severely in various parts of this district. Several dams and over 40 streams have already dried up here.

Hand pumps have also run dry in various places and people from the area say that the water level recedes to 12-14 feet as soon as the summer season begins. 

Several animals also die due to lack of water.

Since there is no arrangement for clean drinking water, there is always a risk of diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria here.

Most of the people here work in crusher plants but they are closed due to the lockdown. Earlier, thousands of labourers used to find work at mines and crusher plants over here but business had been slack for the past two years.

Labourers in large numbers had gone to cities in search of work but they have had to return due to the lockdown.

Meanwhile, residents of the area allege that a large number of people here do not have ration cards and they are not receiving any assistance from the government.

Also, it is very difficult for government ration to reach those people who do have ration cards.

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