“My wife was 58 and was suffering from diabetes. We went to a government hospital in Paithan, where doctors prescribed some medicines. But we had no money to buy the medicines. I am solely responsible for her death,” said the Ankathwada resident. The small village of 1,50-odd people is 10 km away from the Paithan tehsil in Aurangabad district.
Narayan Kurube lost his wife 15 days ago. Now the 65-year-old landless labourer says he has no will left to live, and in any case starvation would do its job soon.
“My wife was 58 and was suffering from diabetes. We went to a government hospital in Paithan, where doctors prescribed some medicines. But we had no money to buy the medicines. I am solely responsible for her death,” said the Ankathwada resident. The small village of 1,50-odd people is 10 km away from the Paithan tehsil in Aurangabad district.
He added, “I have lost all hope after her death. But even if I do not commit suicide, starvation will kill me soon.” Kurube is now living with his six-year-old son Govind, adopted three years ago. “We had no child, so we adopted him. But the situation is so bad after my wife's death. I do not know how to cook, but somehow I cook something to feed him and myself. Most days, we have to make do without food. I can manage, but I feel terrible when I look at Govind's face. His health is deteriorating by the day,” said Kurube.
He added that the drought hit not only the farmers, but landless labourers as well. “It has not rained in the last three years, and farmers are in deep trouble. The supplementary work force has been affected as well. The farmers stopped hiring the daily wage workers. We used to get Rs 100 for a day's work but even that has become rare now. Most landless people who used to get work in other people's farms are not sitting idle or have moved out of the town. Besides, because of my old age, most people do not hire me,” he said.
A few days ago, he had gone to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation office in Paithan in search of work. “They told me that industrial units were also shutting down in huge numbers, because they were unable to sustain in this drought-hit region. They were unable to get raw material or water. If even young people are not getting any work, how will I get work at this age. But I have to go on living for my son. He is in Class III and is good in studies. It is a huge responsibility on my shoulders. I am sure if provided with proper food and care, he will be a big officer one day,” said Kurube.
Kurube was not always landless. At one point, the family had three acres of farmland. “My elder brother sold the land for just Rs 30,000 per acre 20 years ago. He did not consult anybody about the decision. Now the situation is such that sometimes I have to ask my neighbours for left-over food. Many times, even they don't have enough. Then I have to beg in other areas. It is so humiliating. I never imagined that I will have to beg for food,” he said.
Around three months ago, Kurube opened an account in the National Bank with a starting amount of Rs 100. “One day, I wanted to withdraw that Rs 100, because we did not have anything to eat. But the bank manager told me that the opening amount cannot be withdrawn. Some times I feel it is better to die than live in such humiliation. But then who will take care of Govind after I die?” he lamented.
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