Farmers in India are weary of politicians’ lackluster response to their climate-driven water crisis

By SIBI ARASU
Associated Press

BEED, India (AP) — India’s 120 million farmers share fast-shrinking water resources as groundwater is pumped out faster than rain can replenish it. Drought-prone areas like Marathwada are at the sharp end of the shortage, making life unbearable for many. As the country continues to vote in its marathon six-week election, farmers are looking for longer-term solutions to the water problem, like building canal networks from distant rivers. But politicians have promised and done little to secure water for them, with activists saying that big businesses and large farms are being prioritized instead.