In drought-hit Kolhar, people are leasing water tankers for immersing ashes

No water for the living, no water for the dead

Once a perennial river, the Paravara is reportedly now a dry river bed lined with remains of dead cattle and birds. What catches one's attention is, however, the advertisements like the one on the wall of a bridge which reads: "Water tankers for dashkriya vidhi are available here."

The people who cannot actually afford such tankers are reportedly throwing the ashes in the dry river bed or burying them.

However, the river is their final destination. For years, the river reportedly has been the lifeline of the village. The residents now reminisce fondly about a time when the river water catered to their everyday needs.

Human greed, reckless extraction of water, digging of borewells and most importantly, sand mining from the river bed has completely destroyed the river's ecology. Now the villagers only get tap water for 15-20 minutes every 10 days.