It's raining on dead crops

After we first broke the story of a bad monsoon and the widespread drought, NDTV's reporters have brought our attention to how bad the farmers and their families are suffering.

On Monday NDTV's Anchal Vohra spent 24 hours with farmers in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

A rainy day, what Moolchand and his son had desperately waited for. Except it's come a month into the sowing season - a month too late.

"All this rain now is useless. The crops failed. Now, I might have to sell my land, or commit suicide," said Moolchand, farmer.

As they head home on their minds is fear of starvation and the looming pile of debt. With this crop failure it stands at 30,000 rupees.

"Sometimes I find work as a daily labourer, sometimes I don't. I don't have an NREGA card. The government won't compensate our losses," said Radheshyam, farmer.

"What vegetables? Here is red chilli. We make a paste and eat red chilli with dry chhapatis. We don't even have enough drinking water. I can't even send him to school because we can't afford the monthly fees of Rs 70," Radheshyam added.

The sudden rains has made the countryside look lush. But the reality is that the ground water levels have receded dangerously in the dry spell last month.

When there is power supply - which is not often 250 people of this village depend on - one hand pump is the last one working.

So, what happens when there's no water?

"Life stops. Nothing happens," Radheshyam replied.

"There's no food for us, forget the cattle. This is the situation of the whole village," Moolchand further said.

Next door is Bhola's family who has been surviving on Roti and onion chutni for a month.

"This is it. Roti and onion chutney! There's no work. I got 12 days of work under NREGA, but I have not been paid," said Bhola.

Families of farmers in entire villages like this one are facing a shortage of food because they can't afford it. Lack of drinking water and no sustainable, alternative form of employment that can keep them going at times like these.