Directors

K. P. Jayasankar
Anjali Monteiro

Duration: 21 mins
Language: English, Hindi and Marathi
Subtitles: English

One Hundred Years of Drought

The video examines the causes of recurrent drought in Maharashtra, attempting to demonstrate the extent to which drought is a socially created phenomenon, a fall out of ecologically unsound policies and practices, both at micro and macro levels. It includes a brief review of the impact of colonial role and famine policy, as well as the post- independence path of development, premised on the growth of heavy industry, large dams and modernisation of agriculture. This has resulted in deforestation, soil erosion and depletion of ground water reserves, calling for alternative appproaches involving people’s participation in integrated watershed management, based on the principles of sustainable development, self-reliance and equity.