Urgent issues in drought management is it too late to act

Abstract

Recent drought in western India is unique for many reasons. The most conspicuous is the fact that it has generated unprecedented apathy and indifference of intellectuals. The situation in Gujarat is all the more paradoxical.The paper draws up an agenda of issues which deserve urgent attention. The problem is looked at from the perspective of those who are unseen victims (i.e. those who had to sell off and/or abandon the livestock just when drought started), those who are receiving the relief but may bot realize any responsibility towards those who are less fortunate and finally those who have benefitted from this drought. While Government can succeed in mobilizing money and material, the skill mobilization is generally beyond its normal capacity. Is it too much to hope that elite in cities getting uninterrupted supply of power and water, will voluntarily demand cut in some other such facilities to contribute towards the mammoth task of drought management?