Drought-stricken villagers sell belongings for water
Drought-stricken villagers sell belongings for water
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
Villagers in drought-stricken areas across the regency of Gunung
Kidul in Yogyakarta have begun to sell their belonging for water.
Sukinem, a resident of Banagung hamlet, Tileng village, said
she had sold a goat to buy 5,000-liter tank of water. Sukinem
said the water, which cost Rp 70,000 (US$8.40), would provide her
family with water for a month.
"I had to sell the goat because I didn't have any money," she
said.
She said she sold the goat for Rp 200,000, and would save the
rest of the money to buy more water if the drought continued.
The prolonged drought has caused severe water shortages in
Gunung Kidul, an area consisting mostly of a barren infertile
mountain range.
Other villagers have sold household appliances, jewelry and
food, mostly dried cassava, to raise money to buy water. Some
villagers have bought water on credit because they have nothing
to sell.
"We don't have any choice," said one villager, Poniyem, who
has bought water on credit.
"We have been waiting for a supply of clean water from the
government but it never comes, even though most of the people
here are poor. I cannot understand why," Tukinem, the wife of the
head of Banagung hamlet, said.
The drought in Gunung Kidul has hit at least 82 villages in 11
of 18 subdistricts, causing over 120,000 people from 31,000
families to suffer severe shortages of clean water. Over 2,000
people are suffering from diarrhea and respiratory problems as a
result of the lack of clean water.
The 10 drought-hit subdistricts are Purwosari, Panggang,
Saptosari, Paliyan, Tanjungsari, Tepus, Rongkop, Girisubo, Semanu
and Ponjong.
Things are particularly bad in this area because most of the
residents are poor people who traditionally rely on cassava
crops.
The local government has complained about budgetary
restrictions that prevent it from providing clean water to
residents.
"Demand for free clean water is increasing. Yet, due to the
budget constraints, we must prioritize the poorest families.
Those who can afford to buy water should not depend on us,"
Sumarno, the assistant to the regency secretary overseeing
development, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
The drought has also forced some villagers to resort to
bathing just once every several days.
"We'd rather use the water on our cattle, otherwise they will
die from lack of water," Sukinem said.