El niño can cause havoc. As a Maharashtrian, I should know. Of course, not individually as I was too young then to understand such enviornmental cum socio-economic issues. Yet public records show how hurtful are these memories to the Maharashtrian psyche as such. Hence the assertion in the beginning of our blog.
The year was 1972. Even otherwise, this leap year has brandished itself in the mass memory, what with the terrorist attack diring the Berlin Olympic, for instance. Yet no other event in that fateful year could match the intense tragedy of a horrible famine due to the 'el niño' effect.
Just as Maharshtra faced this vicious effects, so did sub Saharan Ethiopia and Sahel. Known as the Wollo famine, its after effects continued for years later. Millions died. Mass migrations were the mode of life.
Across the world, there was food scarcity. Given the bi-polar world realities then, the USSR stocking up the grain intensified the devastation.
As for Maharashtra, crop failure impacted not only human lives but also the livestock. To overcome the dire straits, the then Chief Minister, Vasantrao Naik, opened fodder camps for the surviving emaciated cattle.
As for human beings, "red wheat" was supplied in a rationed proportion, while 'public works' activities such as digging canals, road construction, et al, were taken up to help the financially destroyed common man.
This scheme paved the way for the later 'Manrega', et al. We have, hopefully, come a long way. Sure there must have been water harvesting on a major scale. Hope there have been bund canals as well as cleaning up water beds/bodies so that the monsoon water gets properly stored.
Sure the 1972 famine due to the 'el niño' effect has taught us much. Yes, the 'el niño' has struck time and again after that, but never ever with such severity. Hence the need to learn from it, and in advance.
Pratima@ When I now look back at our childhood, I realise yet again the greatness of my loving parents. Papa never ever allowed such dire straits affect us. We did not even realise the existence of any famine. That is paternal love, always protective like the bulwark of a castle!
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