Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Water Crisis Pushes Solapur Village to Declare Itself for Sale
Tulshi is a village where people have struggled to get enough water for many years.
A canal was built nearby, but villagers say it does not bring water to their fields.
This year, weak rains made the problem worse.
Wells, lakes and small water bodies have dried up.
Crops and fruit trees have died because farmers cannot irrigate them.
Four tankers bring drinking water to the village each day.
People also struggle to find water and food for their cattle.
Some families have moved to cities to find work.
Villagers put up signs saying the village is for sale to show how frustrated they are, and they say the shortage is making it harder for young men to find marriage partners.
Tulshi villagers say they have waited more than 25 years for irrigation water, although a canal passes about 400 metres from the village boundary.
The rain-shadow village has around 7,000 residents, with more than 2,000 having migrated to Pune and Mumbai for work.
Failed rains have dried crops, wells, lakes and water bodies, forcing residents to rely on tankers for drinking water and farming.
Farmers report major losses in pomegranate and guava plantations, while fodder and water shortages are also affecting cattle.
Residents say the “Village for Sale” signs express frustration over repeated assurances, water scarcity and the crisis’s impact on marriage prospects.
- Who
- Residents and farmers of Tulshi, including village sarpanch Sharad More, are seeking irrigation and water supplies.
- What
- Villagers have put up “Village for Sale” signs to protest the prolonged lack of irrigation and drinking water.
- When
- The water shortage has continued for more than 25 years and was described as especially severe after this year’s failed rains, by the end of September.
- Where
- Tulshi village in Madha taluka, Solapur district.
- Why
- Residents say the nearby irrigation scheme has not benefited the village, while unreliable rainfall has damaged crops, worsened livestock shortages and affected livelihoods and marriage prospects.
- Population
- Around 7,000 people live in Tulshi.
- Migration
- More than 2,000 residents have migrated to cities including Pune and Mumbai for work.
- Irrigation gap
- Villagers say the canal passes about 400 metres from the village boundary without serving Tulshi.
- Fruit cultivation
- Around 620 hectares in Tulshi is under fruit cultivation.
- Drinking-water supply
- Four tankers supply the village each day.
- Tanker cost
- Farmer Pandurang Devkar pays Rs 4,000 for a tanker once a week to protect his plants.
- Protest message
- Residents say the “Village for Sale” signs are a symbolic appeal for government action, not a literal sale offer.