Solapur Farmer Threatens Self-Immolation Over 47-Year Delay in Irrigation for Allotted Land

Solapur, August 6 — An 82-year-old project-affected farmer from Pandharpur taluka has threatened to self-immolate outside the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s official residence, Varsha Bungalow, if his decades-long grievance over irrigation access is not resolved by August 14.

Chandrakant Anna Deshmukh, a resident of Isbavi village and a Kanhere dam project-affected person (PAP), was allotted 5 acres of land in 1978 in lieu of his original land that was submerged. In a letter addressed to state officials, Deshmukh alleges that despite repeated petitions to the district collector, divisional commissioner, MLAs, MPs, and the water resources department, his land has never been connected to a functioning irrigation system.

Deshmukh claims that a proposal for the same has been pending at Mantralaya since March 2021 with no progress. He says his complaints through the PG Portal and Lokshahi Din events have not yielded results. He also raised concerns about missing land records and maps, which have allegedly not been submitted by the Rehabilitation Department for over four decades, preventing proper surveys and enabling encroachments.

Frustrated with government inaction, Deshmukh has stated that if irrigation benefits and formal land maps are not provided by Independence Day, he will immolate himself on August 15, holding the state government and administrative machinery responsible.

A memorandum had also been submitted to the Governor in April 2025 requesting intervention or permission for euthanasia, but according to Deshmukh, there has been no response.

Officials have yet to issue a public statement in response to the threat.