Acute water crisis forces bahus to leave for sasural in Bihar

More than a dozen bahus (daughter-in-laws) have left their in-laws for their parents’ village in Bihar’s Gaya district after an acute water shortage.

One such village, Mushantand , that comes under the Imamganj block in Gaya is in grip of an acute water scarcity this summer. This village is also part of the region close to the Bihar-Jharkhand border, known as a stronghold of Maoists.

“More than 15 women have left the village for their parents, and have decided to stay there until the water crisis is over,” Kali Paswan, a villager told rediff.com.

Budhna Manjhi, another villager, said it is not the only problem, several marriage proposals for ongoing traditional marriage season, locally known as ‘lagan’

have been called off in view of water scarcity in the village.

“Parents of some girls who were keen to marry their daughters in this village are suddenly showing reluctance and some of them have even called off the proposal,” Manjhi said.

People in most of Bihar's 38 districts, particularly in rural areas, have been facing drinking water problem this summer.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has repeatedly admitted in last few days about depleting groundwater level and drying rivers.