Pandharkawada, Vidarbha:
It is a part of the country that has become synonymous with farmer suicides. As many as 6500 farmers have died in Vidarbha in last five years. To many, these numbers are just statistics but spare a thought for the families these farmers have left behind.
"He tried very hard to get fresh credit. But nobody was willing to give any. He had already taken loans from two to three banks," said Surekha Chavan, a widow.
Surekha Chavan is taking control of the same field where her husband consumed poison few months ago. She has two young children, a mountain of debt, and little hope that this crop will redeem her. All she can do is toil on.
"My older daughter, who is 14 years old, has an eye problem, she can't see clearly. I'm managing her education. We constantly need money for her treatment. I also have a younger son. I'm worried about them, about this field. If the crop fails again this year, where will I get the money to repay the loans? We go to the moneylenders, touch their feet, beg for more time," said Surekha.
Surekha's story repeats in village after village in Yavatmal.
Like in Saikheda, Chandrakala's husband also killed himself after repeated crop failures. He hung himself inside a little hut three years ago.
Then she got Rs 10,000 as compensation, but no debt relief, that's due to farmers like her.
"There were a lot of hurdles. I've had to take charge of everything. We are still facing very difficult times," said Chandrakala.
"Sometimes I wonder whether it's all worth it, there are all kinds of thoughts in my mind. But then I look at my daughters, and I know I have to go on," she added.
Chandrakala and Surekha are just two of the many widows who struggle to keep food on the table. Their fight for survival continues, not with government support, but clearly without it.
"He tried very hard to get fresh credit. But nobody was willing to give any. He had already taken loans from two to three banks," said Surekha Chavan, a widow.
Surekha Chavan is taking control of the same field where her husband consumed poison few months ago. She has two young children, a mountain of debt, and little hope that this crop will redeem her. All she can do is toil on.
"My older daughter, who is 14 years old, has an eye problem, she can't see clearly. I'm managing her education. We constantly need money for her treatment. I also have a younger son. I'm worried about them, about this field. If the crop fails again this year, where will I get the money to repay the loans? We go to the moneylenders, touch their feet, beg for more time," said Surekha.
Surekha's story repeats in village after village in Yavatmal.
Like in Saikheda, Chandrakala's husband also killed himself after repeated crop failures. He hung himself inside a little hut three years ago.
Then she got Rs 10,000 as compensation, but no debt relief, that's due to farmers like her.
"There were a lot of hurdles. I've had to take charge of everything. We are still facing very difficult times," said Chandrakala.
"Sometimes I wonder whether it's all worth it, there are all kinds of thoughts in my mind. But then I look at my daughters, and I know I have to go on," she added.
Chandrakala and Surekha are just two of the many widows who struggle to keep food on the table. Their fight for survival continues, not with government support, but clearly without it.
