Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Farmers across the district are set to benefit from a major decision by the state government, which has approved the installation of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) in 870 gram panchayats. The initiative aims to provide accurate weather forecasts and ensure reliable data for assessing crop losses and compensation during natural calamities.
At present, weather updates in the district come only from 84 revenue circle stations. Each circle covers nearly 25 to 40 villages, forcing officials to prepare reports by generalizing rainfall recorded in just one village. This method often failed to reflect the real situation in other villages, especially during unseasonal rains, dry spells, or drought. Farmers had repeatedly complained that such flawed data deprived them of fair compensation.
Acknowledging these grievances, the government decided to shift to a more localized system by setting up weather stations at the gram panchayat level. With this, farmers in even the smallest villages will soon receive weather data specific to their area, reducing the risk of inaccurate reporting. Preparations for the project have already begun. The Agriculture Department and Revenue Department have jointly formed committees to oversee the process. The District Collector will chair the district-level committee, while Tehsildars will head taluka-level committees. These bodies will coordinate the identification of sites and the overall implementation of the scheme.
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Space requirement for stations
For each weather station, a 7x5 meter plot will be required. Officials have clarified that priority will be given to using government-owned land. In cases where such land is not available, private plots may be acquired either through purchase or on rent. However, the government has yet to clarify who will be responsible for determining the valuation of private land.