Maharashtra floods in September destroyed crops across 68 lakh hectares

Crops on 6869 lakh hectares were destroyed across Maharashtra due to heavy rainfall and floods in September which severely affected Marathwada and adjoining regions an official has said reported news agency PTIThe government is preparing a proposal to be sent to the Centre seeking financial assistance for the affected farmers the official from the relief and rehabilitation department said on MondayHe stated that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting with both Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to review the proposalThe floods last month caused extensive losses across several districts In Marathwada farmlands and residential areas were submerged while similar damage was reported from parts of Vidarbha and western Maharashtra as per officials reported PTIDistricts including Beed Nanded Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Yavatmal Latur Solapur Dharashiv Jalna Parbhani Buldhana Hingoli Nashik and Washim have reported severe crop losses on areas ranging from three to seven lakh hectares eachFarmers representatives have demanded compensation of Rs 50000 per hectare and urged the government to fulfil its earlier promise of a loan waiverDharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar has appealed to the government to support distressed farmers and provide them compensation and debt reliefThe relief and rehabilitation department stated that eKYC of registered farmers under the Agristack system is being expedited Out of 172 crore farmer account holders in the state 117 crore have already been registered and the remaining process will be completed soon reported PTIThe floods have also washed away irrigation equipment such as electric pumps leaving many farmers unable to resume cultivationYellow alert issued for parts of Vidarbha monsoon withdrawal around Oct 10Meanwhile the weather department has issued a yellow alert for parts of Maharashtras Vidarbha region forecasting light to moderate showers accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning for the next few days an official said on Monday reported PTIThe southwest monsoon is likely to begin withdrawal from the region around October 10 he saidA yellow alert has been issued for Nagpur Wardha Gondia Bhandara Chandrapur Gadchiroli Yavatmal and Amravati districts with a prediction of light to moderate rainfall thunderstorms and lightning at isolated or several locations starting Monday the official said reported PTIDr Praveen Kumar scientist at the regional meteorological department in Nagpur said that light to moderate rain spells are expected to continue across parts of Vidarbha for the next three daysA gradual decrease in rainfall intensity and spatial distribution is likely from October 9 or 10 he saidThe normal date for the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from Vidarbha is around October 10 and the entire region usually experiences complete withdrawal by October 15 as per the climatological normal the official saidWith inputs from PTI