Ajit Pawar, Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. file | Photo Credit: PTI
With unseasonal rains increasing farmers’ woes in parts of Maharashtra, Leader of the Opposition and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on March 7 hit out at the ruling Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government’s alleged apathy towards the farming community. Simple.
Unseasonal rains and hailstorm have damaged crops in several districts of Maharashtra, especially the northern region, parts of Nashik and Dhule districts as well as western Maharashtra including Pune and Thane districts.
Hitting out at Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis for not prioritizing the problems of farmers, Mr. Pawar said that the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister should take responsibility for this Farmers’ suicides continue in Maharashtra,
“This government is not ready to talk about the plight of farmers. They did not get the earlier compensation and now the unseasonal rains have put them in trouble. They are being forced to take their own lives. This proves the complete inefficiency of this government. Recently, over 100 farmers had written to the President of India expressing their desire to take their lives as they were not getting adequate compensation for the loss of their crops. Who will take this responsibility? Mr Pawar said while addressing a rally in Ahmednagar district.
Noting that the Shiv Sena-BJP government was “drunk on power”, Mr Pawar urged the attendees to vote for the Shinde-Fadnavis government in the upcoming elections.
Assess the damage: Shinde
Meanwhile, Shinde directed the District Magistrates to take immediate action in the affected areas. Punchnama (Damage Assessment) of destroyed crop land.
Crop has been affected in many districts of the state due to unseasonal rains. Farmers should be given immediate relief. This government is completely behind the distressed farmers. In this regard, the Chief Minister, after talking to the Chief Secretary, has instructed the collectors to conduct Punchnamasaid a release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
According to the CMO, unseasonal rains accompanied by stormy winds have affected crops in Thane, Palghar, Washim, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad district) and other areas including Paithan district.
Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of thunderstorm and moderate rain at isolated places in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmednagar districts, while rain in Mumbai and Pune cities brought respite from the heat wave of the previous weeks.