This summer, parts of rural India, especially in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra state, saw its worst drought in 40 years, affecting nearly nine million farmers and their families. While the temperature soared above 40 degree Celsius, some towns received drinking water once in 40 days. The water scarcity not only drowned these farmers in huge losses but also drained out their minuscule savings as they were forced to spend a dear amount to purchase water from local water dealers. Livestock was sold due to lack of fodder, children skipped school to fetch water from long distances and marriages were postponed due to the drought. Sugar is the bitter pill in this drought scenario. Maharashtra is dubbed as the 'sugar daddy' of India, accounting for about 40 per cent of its sugar production. It takes 2,450 liters of water to produce a kilo of sugar. Nine per cent of the farmers in Maharashtra produce sugarcane, but they use 69 per cent of available water. Marathwada region has 39 cooperative sugar factories, and sugarcane farming consumes 80 per cent of the dam water. Most villages were desolated with only old people and children as most adults migrated to the nearby cities hoping for means of livelihood or at least enough water till monsoon. The farmers were left to suffer due to lack of concrete policies and mismanagement caused by the vested interests of many industrialists and people in power.