Here, snake charmers are denied water

Vijaysinh Parmar TNN
Parevda (Rajkot): The cup of woes of the nomadic Vadi community of snake charmers is brimming over. Not only are they unable to eke out a living as the government has banned their occupation, they are also being denied access to water by hostile villagers. In Parevda village, 25 km from Rajkot, 98 Vadi families have been given temporary plots. However, the villagers do not want them to settle down there. As the mercury soars, they are facing an acute shortage of drinking water as they are not even allowed to take water from traditional water sources. “We have to go to Kuvadava, which is 12 km away, to fetch drinking water. We hire a chhakda for this purpose, but villagers have threatened the chhakdawalas who help us fetch water,” says Babanath Vadi, a leader of the community. Also, since Kuvadava villagers are also facing water scarcity, they have asked the Vadis not to come there, he adds. “There is water available in nearby farmlands but we are denied access as we are considered outsiders and criminals. We are unable to earn to support ourselves since the government has banned our occupation - it is very difficult for us to purchase drinking water,” says Mansukh Vadi. The charge per chhakda is Rs 80 and they have to hire the vehicle eight times a day. “We have to go to Rajkot every day to make a living. Most of our income goes into paying for drinking water. Our children are suffering from skin diseases as they have not bathed for days. How can we afford the luxury of bathing, when we don’t even have water for drinking,” asks Babanath Vadi. Says Rajkot collector, HS Patel, “Parevda villagers have not yet consented to Vadis settling down in their village. We are trying to convince them. We will work on solving the drinking water problem.”