Logo

Dimdima

Online Children's Magazine from India

Dimdima, Indian online Children's Magazine for Education, Learning, Fun, Knowledge and Sports.
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
  • dimdima
Menu

Hunger Deaths

Hunger Deaths

A total of 1.5 million people died of starvation in the seven famines that occurred in the first half of the 19th century. In the second half, there were 24 famines (6 between 1851 and 1875 and 18 between 1876 and 1900) leaving over 20 million dead.
These are official figures. Actual figures could be many times more. Romesh Dutt writes: "Deaths were numerous and were never reckoned... Hundreds of thousands died in obscure villages, unknown and unheeded. The dead lay on the road side unburied and unburnt, till they were devoured by wild animals."
Incredible as it may seem, the export of food grains during this period showed a remarkable increase! The revenue from the export of food grains, principally rice and wheat, rose from £ 858,000 in 1849 to £3.8 million by 1858, £ 7.9 million by 1877, £9.3 million by 1901 and £19.3 million in 1914.
There was never a time when the entire country was under the grip of famine. Famines were regional occurrences. When the rains failed in Bengal, Bombay Presidency had a rich harvest. When North India was reeling under the impact of famine, the South was thriving.
Why then did people die like flies, in hundreds and thousands? Could foodgrains not have been moved from one region to another and human lives saved?
Romesh Dutt writes : "If the people were generally in a prosperous condition, they could make up for local failure of crops by purchases from neighbouring provinces, and there would be no loss of life. But when the people are absolutely resourceless, they cannot buy from surrounding tracts, and they perish in hundreds of thousands, or in millions, whenever there is a local failure of crops."
With the wilful and total destruction of village industries like spinning and weaving and excessive taxation, the people had no savings to fall back on during unexpected calamities like famines.


While the government did come out with a famine relief package, no one took these measures seriously. That the government was not serious about the famine relief work, was borne out by the fact that the land tax collection went on as usual. That the cultivators had to mortgage or even sell part of their lands to pay revenue, did not trouble the government officials. To them, the target set for the year was more important than the hardships of the poor farmers.

Irrigation vs Railways

The British were aware of the importance of irrigation works. They had repaired and restored the 445-mile long West Jumna Canal (originally built by Indian rulers) and they saw the benefits of the canal during the famine of 1837. The gross value of the crops saved by the canal exceeded 1.5 million pounds.
Sir Arthur Cotton built several anicuts or dams in South India. Consequently the land available for cultivation increased by a whopping 100,000 acres and the land revenue collection went up by £ 44,000 per annum.
Sir Arthur Cotton and his team of engineers were all set to build a network of canals in north and south India but the arrival of the railways upset their plans. The funds meant for irrigation works were diverted to construction of railway lines, and Sir Arthur and those who shared his views watched helplessly as drought and famine devastated large parts of South India and millions starved to death.
A sum of £ 120 million had been spent on the railways. Many felt that if the money had been spent on irrigation works instead, the famine could have been averted.
But the government had to contend with the manufacturers' lobby in Britain. The manufacturers saw a vast market in India and were pressurising the government to extend the railways so that the interior of the country could be made accessible to their commodities.
Romesh Dutt was among those who believed that extending the railways at the cost of irrigation works had been a blunder.
He wrote: "And the people of India, who paid both for the railways and irrigation works, would undoubtedly have given their support, if they had been consulted, to Sir Arthur Cotton's proposal to stop extension of the railways after the main lines had been completed and secondly, to the construction of irrigation works for the benefit of cultivation and prevention of famines."
But then the people of India had no say in matters that affected them most.

Our Logo

Dimdima is the Sanskrit word for ‘drumbeat’. In olden days, victory in battle was heralded by the beat of drums or any important news to be conveyed to the people used to be accompanied with drumbeats.

Dimdima.com

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
K. M Munshi Marg,
Chowpatty, Mumbai - 400 007
email : editor@dimdima.com

Dimdima Magazine

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
505, Sane Guruji Marg,
Tardeo, Mumbai - 400 034
email : promo@dimdima.com

About

Dimdima.com, the Children's Website of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan launched in 2000 and came out with a Printed version of Dimdima Magazine in 2004. At present the Printed Version have more than 35,000 subscribers from India and Abroad.

Terms of Use | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Testimonials | Feedback | About Us | Link to Us | Links | Advertise with Us |
Copyright © 2021 dimdima.com. All Rights Reserved.