Drought-hit villagers in parts of India survive on wild groundnuts and forest plants. They say their pleas for government assistance and food rations have been ignored even though the area has been declared drought-affected.
While parts of India are dealing with floods, many villages of India's eastern state of Jharkhand are hit by drought.
Locals there are having to survive on wild nuts and roots.
This village which has been declared drought-affected by the provincial government.
They are surviving on wild groundnuts and some other herbs, which they get from the forests near their village.
Though groundnuts are inedible, villagers say they have no other options.
"To make this wild groundnut edible, I have to go through a long process. Firstly, I clean it, wash it and then roast it to reduce its poisonous effect, then keep it in the river for a whole night and then early in the morning I boil it before eating it."
Other villagers say the government has not given out any rations so far.
"The situation of our villagers is the worst. There is no road in our area, our houses are damaged, and the government is not providing us with rations. Government officials come and take pictures of our village but never take the initiative to help."
By and large, Indian farmers rely on the monsoon for cultivation of food grains.
