Dry ponds hit livelihood of dhobis

Washermen at work in Boath mandal headquarters

The prevailing drought conditions have hit the livelihood of washermen as many of them have stopped washing clothes with water in streams and rivulets getting dried up in the villages.

Meanwhile, a few washermen are washing clothes in the available muddy water itself in the local streams in Boath mandal headquarters while a few others are washing in the houses itself if the inmates are providing them water, either though borewells or other sources.

Sensing that there is no fresh water in the water bodies, some families have stopped giving clothes to the washermen fearing that they might contract some skin diseases if they are washed in muddy water.

    

The washermen are demanding that the state government should construct dobhi ghats and provide sufficient water at those so that they can earn a living. There are reports of washermen fainting while washing clothes in the open in the scorching heat.  

Sirra Narsavva, of Tejapur village in Boath mandal, said only two washerman   families of the total seven in the village were washing clothes at the local stream as  water in it has almost dried up due to the dry conditions. “I stopped washing clothes 20 days ago due to lack of water”.

“The government should construct dobhi ghats and provide water so that we can make both ends meet’, she said.

Traditional milk producers are also facing trouble due to lack of grass in fields and fodder and drinking water for the livestock. The milk production has come down considerably due to high temperatures and insufficient fodder. There is a huge shortage of fodder in the district and officials have failed to provide food to animals.