Maharashtra farming crisis far from over as untimely rains with hailstorms loom

The India Meteorological Department has forecast that rain and hailstorm are likely in Vidarbha, Marathwada, parts of Konkan and north Maharashtra over the next four days.

In Marathwada the districts likely to receive light to heavy rain are Latur, Osmanabad, Nanded, Parbhani and Hingoli. Vidarbha districts alerted for unseasonal rain and hailstorm are Nagpur, Akola, Buldhana, Amravati, Warsha, Bhandara, Gondia, Nagpur, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur.

The rain-prone districts in north Maharashtra are Dhule, Nandurbar and Nashik. In the coastal Konkan region, the districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Raigad are likely to receive untimely showers.

Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar extensively toured the rain-hit Marathwada region over the past two days to assess the crop loss and the farmers’ hardships. “The administration has taken up the process of preparing panchnamas expeditiously. Once it is completed, the extent of crop loss will be evaluated and compensation announced,” he said.

A senior officer in the agriculture department said, “In several distant villages, the crop loss evaluation is still to start. The employees’ strike last week has affected the panchnama process. Completing the exercise will require at least one more week. What makes assessment difficult is the recurring unseasonal rain and hailstorm.”

“In some districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha, there have been three spells of untimely rain and thunderstorms. We have to update our records continuously to record the real crop loss,” the officer said.

With weather forecasts warning of rains and hailstorm in the next four days, at least 15 of the total 36 districts are being closely monitored to see the impact.

Earlier, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed the Assembly and the Legislative Council that the government would fast-track the crop loss assessment and provide immediate relief to the farmers.

The Opposition has demanded the government announce adequate assistance to rain-hit farmers before the budget session concludes on Saturday. It has demanded compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare. The session started on February 27.