'By and large the people are generous and helpful when we narrate our plight...they try to contribute whatever is possible,' Das said.

Small and marginal farmers are angry after the government announced it would foot the diesel bill of farmers for using pumps to irrigate their fields.

'A minuscule percentage of farmers in Assam have pumps to irrigate their fields and the government's decision to pay the diesel bill would not help the small and marginal farmers in any way,' said Arun Lochan Das, another farmer hard hit by the drought.

Most farmers said since they did not have pumps and depended on rains for cultivation, the government's decision to pay diesel bills would not benefit them in any way.

They are seeking financial assistance to meet the crisis caused by the scanty monsoon.

'The government should immediately come up with a financial package for the affected farmers or else people will be forced to commit suicide,' said Biren Hazarika, a small cultivator.

Assam Agriculture Minister Pramilla Rani Brahma said: 'From our side we are trying our best to mitigate their woes....we must do something urgently.'

(Syed Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)