Water-starved Tulshi village in Solapur puts itself up for sale to press for a solution

Drought is worsening in Madha taluka of Solapur district, and water scarcity has become severe. Tulshi village has struggled for water for several years. Villagers have made repeated demands and held agitations, yet the problem remains unresolved. This has left people angry.

To draw the administration's attention, the villagers have put the entire village up for "sale". Boards reading "Village for sale" have been put up at various places in the village.

Tulshi faces an acute shortage of drinking water. People have to make great efforts to collect water, and women have to go from place to place for it. Farming has been hit hardest by the drought. Many fields lie vacant for lack of water. The question of fodder and water for livestock has also become serious. Villagers say job opportunities in the village have shrunk and unemployment is rising among young men.

The social impact of the water scarcity is now showing as well. Farmer Narayan Kulkarni said he has 15 acres of farmland, but it lies fallow without water. According to him, there is no water in the village, so there is no work for hands to do and young men are becoming jobless. He claimed that because of the scarcity, marriages of more than 500 young men in the village are not getting settled.

Bapu Dagade, a villager, expressed anger. "I cannot understand why God is so angry with our village. Now we feel ashamed even to tell people in other villages the name of our village," he said.

That villagers had to put the whole village up for sale for a basic amenity like water shows how grave the situation is. They are now watching to see whether the government and the administration will take Tulshi's water problem seriously and find a lasting solution.