The district of Betul in Madhya Pradesh has been starved of rain and the residents are suffering from the consequences. Adolescent girls are skipping school in order to collect water for their families. One student Seema Vij said: “We are not able to attend schools as most of our day goes in carrying water from miles. Many girls in the village have already left school because of water scarcity. We are forced to walk at least 3 kms every day at 4 am in the morning to fetch water from the nearby well. Also, there is no electricity in our area which creates obstructions for us to prepare for the exams.”

Water scarcity also poses other issues such as having to drink water from contaminated and unclean sources. The residents have informed the local administration but much action has not been taken yet to remedy the situation. This is just one example that shows the need to save water in our everyday lives. This is not their problem, it is ours too.