Drought affects marriages in Osmanabad

The drought-like situation in Osmanabad and Beed districts in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra has even impacted marriages there.

Unique it may hear, but people living in these parts,  where agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy, are either delaying or  rescheduling marriages. Reason: Farmers are not ready to send their daughters to another farming family for the future is uncertain. “If the boy commits suicide, how would the girl survive,” is the apprehension, as Sushil Shelke, a local resident, pointed out.

Shelke, also a leader in  Khamaswadi village in Kallamb tehsil of Osmanabad district, which is home to around 10,000 people, said most of the youths in the village are graduates and they are in engaged in agriculture.

There are around 200 men and 100 women in the village who belong to the age bracket of 30 and 40 but are not married.

Shelke also said that Osmanabad and Beed have been facing the nature’s ire for the last three-four years. This year, besides the drought, unseasonal rain and hailstorms have made things worse.

According to Dr Bharat bhushan Kshirsagar, the effects of the crisis on marriage is a matter of serious concern.