Shocking! How tanker mafia is profiting from Marathwada drought

As Marathwada reels under one of the scariest droughts in the past century, there are those who don't mind making a killing, qute literally, from this extreme water scarcity.

An India Today investigation, #DemonsOfDrought, supervised by TVTN managing editor Rahul Kanwal, has exposed the unholy nexus between corrupt officials in Beed and Latur, some of Marathwada's worst-hit districts, and the merchants of drought, those who are selling water tankers for a few thousands bucks to the highest bidder.

While wells and taps run dry, and ground water almost disappears, the tanker mafia is not only busy hoarding the precious water, especially the water tankers that are arranged by government bodies to ameliorate the thirsty villages, they are also siphoning off that water to private buyers creating an illicit economy of illegally bought water.

As the government rushed in a 50-wagon water train to quench Marathwada's thirst, water tankers arranged by the government spending the taxpayers' money are being diverted and sold for Rs 2,000 each by local administrators to rich businessmen.

#DemonsOfDrought exposes the circuit of profiteering from Marathwada's extreme ecological crisis. As P Sainath told India Today's Rajdeep Sardesai in a previous interview, those who prefer the artifically maintained "thirst economy" to prevail are equally responsible for Maharashtra's woes, as is climate change.   

India Today impact

Hours after India Today sting #DemonsOfDrought the Beed administration suspended the accused local administrators. India Today investigative report showed Beed Panchayat officials selling 12,000-litre water tankers for as low as Rs 2,000 each.

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