Water scarcity killing marriage prospects of boys in Bundelkhand

By Narender Singh Parmar

Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh), May 6 : Water scarcity in many villages of Bundelkhand in Madhya Pradesh has badly affected the life of boys of marriageable age, as nobody wants to marry off his or her daughter in any family here due to existing water problem.

Several villages here are facing severe water crisis for five years due to no rainfall.

Everyday the villagers in Bundelkhand have to trudge many miles to collect a few pitchers of water for their families. It is a back-breaking struggle for the ladies.

As a result of the water proble, parents do not want their daughters married to boys of Bundelkhand. to marry their daughter here. There are several villages in Bundelkhand where boys could not marry.

"We have water problem due to which our children are not getting married. People do not want to give away their daughters to us saying that they will have to suffer due to water crisis and have to travel miles to fetch the water for the family. I have been facing the same problem here ever since I got married nearly 40 years back," said Ram Pyari, a housewife in Chhattarpur area of Bundelkhand.

Despite the assurances by boys that they would make proper arrangements for water for their family, the elders just don't get convinced to risk their daughters' lives. And hence, there is a huge population of single boys here.

"There is no water in our village. We go to far off places to fetch water. Last year, when I got my sister married, I had to face a lot of problem due to scarcity of water. Even my marriage has been suffering due to water since no one is ready to get their daughters married to us stating those girls will have to work hard her. Our assurances just don't satisfy them," said Narendra Kumar Tiwari, one unmarried resident.

"Our entire family wants my brother to get married. But it is not possible I believe. There is not water in our village," said Reena Tiwari, sister of Narendra.

This region in Madhya Pradesh has been facing acute water shortage for the past many years, but nothing concrete has been done to solve the problem.

Water shortage during summer is a perennial problem in several regions of Madhya Pradesh, and the growing population has only added to the woes.

ANI