[Marxistindia] On Alarming Drought Situation

[news from the cpi(m)]

June 8, 2019

Press Release

 

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), now in
session at New Delhi, adopted the following resolution:

 

On Alarming Drought Situation

 

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), now in
session at New Delhi, notes with grave concern that large parts of India
have been reeling under severe drought conditions. According to Skymet
(private weather monitoring agency) this is the second driest pre-Monsoon
season in the last 65 years. In 2012 cumulative rainfall deficiency had
risen to 31 per cent. This year it is reported that there is a lag of 25 per
cent in the pre-Monsoon rains. 

 

According to reliable early warning systems, it is estimated that more than
40 percent of the country's population or 500 million people are severely
affected. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, Gujarat,
Jharkhand and adjacent districts in West Bengal, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu are
worst hit. 

 

The water storage in dams has dropped to a critical level and the Centre has
issued a drought advisory to some of these states. The State governments of
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan have
declared many of their districts as drought-hit.  The Central Government led
by BJP is not forthcoming in providing relief to states. The current
extraordinary drought situation must be declared a national calamity and
relief measures must be taken up on a war footing.

 

Severe scarcity of drinking water and fodder for livestock has created
extreme distress and crop cultivation has been severely hit. Large-scale
distress migration is taking place. Instances of starvation deaths are also
being reported.  The situation is going to further deteriorate.  Central and
concerned state governments must immediately release pending MNREGA wages,
waive school fees and provide urgent relief. 

 

The CPI(M) calls upon all its units to organize protest actions by uniting
the people demanding concrete and appropriate measures and relief, along
with democratic minded Kisan organizations and other mass organisations.  

 

 

 

(Hari Singh Kang)

For CPI(M) Central Committee office

 

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