When NDTV visited the primary school at Pulichedu village in Medak district of Telangana, Navya was writing her Maths exam. But there was apparently a lot more on her mind than just numbers. She had come to school on an empty stomach, because her mother, who earns a living rolling beedis, had not got any work for a week. And only today got work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Teachers say the 10-year-old is very bright and are as worried as Navya herself that she may have to drop out soon.
Navya's father, an indebted farmer, killed himself three years ago. Ever since, her mother, Jyothi has rolled beedis to support her two children, 10-year-old Navya and eight-year-old Rakesh. For the last one week, the contractor has not given any fresh raw material to make beedis and there has been no income.
"We live only on beedis. When I am unable to earn and feed them, I will be forced to send Navya to work too, may be as labour. I want to send them to school. But I can do that only when I can earn."
"My mother shouldn't struggle. Daily she makes beedis till late in the night and works really hard," the child says.
In a state where agricultural distress has pushed many families into financial crisis, an estimated five lakh families survive because the women roll beedis. Back-breaking work for upto 10 hours a day, to make 1000 beedis, fetches them upto Rs 120.
But now contractors have told them a big pictorial warning on beedi packets will discourage sales and push the industry into crisis. And they will lose their livelihood.
Balanna, who's puffing a beedi as he digs by the roadside, has been smoking for years now, doesn't think so. "Even now there is a warning saying your lungs will get spoilt and we will die, but we continue to smoke, don't we?"
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