Pune, Sep 23 (NationPress) Former Union Agriculture Minister and NCP(SP) President Sharad Pawar on Tuesday called on the Maharashtra government to promptly execute 'panchnamas (ground assessments)' and extend financial support to farmers who have experienced significant losses to crops, livestock, and property due to severe rainfall and waterlogging across multiple districts.

Pawar’s appeal arises as the Kharif crops on over 26 lakh hectares of farmland statewide have been devastated. Farmers, particularly from Solapur, Latur, Dharashiv, Jalna, Parbhani, and Ahilya Nagar, have been severely affected.

“The heavy rainfall in a region typically prone to drought has drastically impacted farmers. Soybean, a dependable crop, has rotted due to waterlogging. The situation is devastating for the farmers. I have experienced droughts, but never such intense rainfall,” Pawar expressed.

“In times of crisis, both the state and central governments bear the responsibility to support farmers. The state must act swiftly to conduct panchnamas and compensate the farmers. The central government can also assist states in the event of a natural disaster. The state should not only provide its own financial aid but also seek assistance from the Centre,” he emphasized.

He further insisted that compensation is necessary for losses incurred from crops, livestock, and land that has been entirely washed away.

“If crops are lost, the loss is confined to that year. However, if the soil is eroded, it halts crop production indefinitely. Therefore, support must be allocated for both crops and land affected by waterlogging. Additionally, roads have been destroyed, warranting aid for that as well. Numerous complaints have arisen regarding cattle being washed away. The state government must address all these issues urgently,” he added.

Pawar urged the government to involve farmers in the process of conducting the panchnamas and evaluating crop damage. He reiterated the need for immediate aid to tackle the current crisis and to facilitate recovery in future unprecedented situations. “We expect the state government to treat this matter with utmost seriousness,” he stated.

Pawar noted that the Meteorological Department has forecasted rain for the upcoming four days. “The remarkable aspect of this situation is that the predictions from the Meteorological Department have been accurate since the onset. It even rained in May, a typically dry month. Since then, the department has alerted farmers, and the government should heed these warnings and respond appropriately,” he suggested. Meanwhile, calls are increasing for the declaration of a 'wet drought' in the state.

Congress legislators Vijay Wadettiwar and Amit Deshmukh, along with NCP(SP) legislator Rohit Pawar, have urged the government to promptly declare wet drought and extend aid to distressed farmers.