Jharkhand is witnessing heatwave and an acute shortage of water.
Highlights
- 25-year-old Dilip Yadav dead was found in his village well
- He had borrowed Rs 75,000 and have a borewell dug
- Even after digging 700 feet, no water was found
When the body of 25-year-old Dilip Yadav was found in his village well on Tuesday morning, the irony was hard to miss.
A few days ago, Dilip had borrowed Rs 75,000 from a friend. With the money, he had hoped to solve the water problem at his family home in Jharkhand's Giridih district -- getting a deep borewell dug. But none was to be found even after digging 700 feet.
Jharkhand was declared drought hit in December last year. Since then, a harsh summer has ensured that ground water in depleting fast. Dilip ran a small cattle farm, and made a living by selling milk. His cattle need water daily - but there's little to be found.
A few handpumps near his house dried up sometime ago. Water tankers are rare and expensive, and there's hardly any water in the seasonal rivers that flow in the area. The village well, the only source of water, is fast running out.
On Monday evening, even when the digging for the borewell reached a depth of 700 feet, it failed to strike water.
"He asked me, 'Did they find water'? I said no. He threw his cellphone to the ground and walked off," said Dilip's father Naresh Gope.
The family thought he would return when his temper cooled. When he failed to return till late night, a search was launched.
"Early on Tuesday morning, a girl who had gone to the well to fetch water raised an alarm," said Mr Gope.
Dilip is survived by his wife and parents. For the family, his loss only adds to the battle to live through the summer.