Aurangabad: It is estimated that the standing crops on 19 lakh hectares of land have been damaged due to excessive rainfall in the Marathwada during the two months (September and October). The assessment of crop loss (panchanama) in four tehsils of the Beed district and three tehsils of the Nanded district has not been completed, so far. It is believed that the losses would be around Rs 3,000 crore. Meanwhile, all eyes are fixed on what action the state government takes in this regard.
This year, the sowing operation was done on 48.22 lakh hectares of land in the region. Of which, the crops on 30.20 lakh hectares got wasted in the past four months.
Earlier, the state government released monetary relief of Rs 1,008 crore as compensation for crops damaged in July and August. Later on, the government also released Rs 599 crore against damage due to continuous rainfall and Rs 72 crore against loss of crops due to snail damage. Now, the demand is Rs 2,700 crore as compensation for losses recorded in September and October. After completing 'panchanamas' in the remaining seven tehsils, it is said that the figure of relief may go up by Rs 3,000 crore.
The total number of farmers affected
In the past four months, more than 28.76 lakh farmers sustained losses due to excessive downpours in the region. In the last two months, 19 lakh hectares of dry land; 8,471 hectares of irrigated land and 26,449 hectares of the area covering orchards have sustained losses.
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Districtwise statistics of losses
According to the statistics, an average of 63 per cent loss has been recorded in the division. The percentage of losses may exceed 70 pc after completion of the panchanama. Meanwhile, the district-wise percentage of losses recorded are as follows:
Aurangabad - 68
Jalna - 63
Parbhani - 43
Hingoli - 64
Nanded - 73
Beed - 64
Latur - 55 and
Osmanabad – 67.