Maha orders survey of crop damage by unseasonal rains, Oppn demands aid

Mumbai : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday directed district authorities to carry out a preliminary survey of damage to crops in the unseasonal rains that have lashed several parts of the state in the past few days.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the government will conduct the initial assessment and panchnamas and assured that all help will be given to the farmers who have suffered crop losses.

Shinde and Fadnavis said that the farmers have been hit in varying degrees in different parts of the state with their rabi season (winter) crops taking a hit in the sudden showers witnessed in several districts since last weekend. The state government plans to seek an assistance of Rs 2,500 crore from the Centre to provide immediate aid to the affected farmers, officials said.

Slamming the government for ignoring the plight of the farmers, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) said that they have money to waste on events and publicity but not for the farmers.

State Congress President Nana Patole, Nationalist Congress Party-SP Working President Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena-UBT's Leader of Opposition in Council Ambadas Danve and farmer face Kishore Tiwari have demanded immediate help for the farming community reeling under the fresh natural crisis.

"Due to the insensitive government in the state, the farmers are talking about selling off their body organs to repay their loans and debts. The unseasonal rains have caused huge havoc in farmlands in the past couple of days… The farmer is in trouble as both the kharif and rabi seasons were practically washed out this year,” said Patole.

Last week, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress and the Shiv Sena-UBT had demanded declaring a drought in the worst-hit regions of the state to give succour to the farmers.

On Monday, Patole accused the government of "playing politics" even on the question of declaring a drought which could bring relief to the tillers and said the Opposition would raise the issue in the upcoming Winter Session of Maharashtra Legislature starting next month.