Mumbai, Oct 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) As severe drought conditions continue to affect agricultural land across several districts of Maharashtra, farmers of Yevta village in Beed district expressed distress, saying nature has taken away their dreams.
Amid the worsening situation, the Maharashtra government has declared 265 tehsils drought-affected, including all seven tehsils of Akola district. A prolonged gap in rainfall has severely affected soybean crops, leaving farmers facing the prospect of heavy losses.
The Revenue Department is conducting crop damage assessments and inspecting fields to evaluate the impact of the drought on agricultural production.
In Yevta village, farmer Sheikh Rashid's four-acre soybean crop is drying up due to a shortage of water and is on the verge of being completely destroyed. He showed IANS his field and the drought-affected crops, highlighting the extent of damage caused by the prolonged lack of rainfall.
Speaking to IANS, Rashid said, “The situation is quite serious. All the farmers had hoped for a good harvest, but nature took away our dreams. Ministers visited our fields. We have suffered significant losses due to the lack of water. They understood our problems and also took steps to address them.”
The farmer said the prolonged water shortage had severely affected the crop, leaving farmers worried about their livelihoods and the losses they may have to bear following the failure of the expected harvest.
The drought situation has emerged after a long break in rainfall, affecting agricultural activities in several parts of Maharashtra. Soybean, one of the key crops cultivated by farmers in the affected areas, has been particularly impacted by the shortage of water.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has officially announced the withdrawal of the monsoon from most parts of Maharashtra, raising further concerns among farmers who were hoping for additional rainfall to revive their crops.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Monday launched a sharp critique of the state government, warning that Maharashtra is staring at an unprecedented nine-to-10-month-long severe drought.
The Thackeray camp, in an editorial published in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', said the departure of the monsoon without yielding return showers had shattered the final hopes of farmers across the state, leaving more than half of Maharashtra severely scorched.
According to the editorial, more than 20 of Maharashtra's 36 districts recorded an unprecedented rainfall deficit this season.
The editorial said the prolonged dry spell destroyed crops across Marathwada, Vidarbha and Central Maharashtra, further deepening concerns over the state's agricultural situation.
The developments have added to the pressure on the state government to assess crop losses and provide necessary assistance to farmers affected by the drought and water shortage.
Source: IANS
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