Nationalist Congress Party (SP) head Sharad Pawar has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, seeking a meeting to address the drought-like conditions in the Purandar, Baramati, Indapur, and Daund tehsils of Pune district. In the letter dated June 16, which he shared on a micro-blogging site on Monday, Pawar highlighted that while the state government had initiated irrigation schemes to alleviate the drought situation, implementation issues were discovered during his recent visits to these areas.
Pawar, a former Union minister, noted that discussions with local villagers revealed various measures and demands to address the agriculture and drinking water problems. He emphasized the need for permanent solutions to the recurring drought conditions in these talukas. Pawar requested a meeting in Mumbai under CM Shinde’s leadership, including the two deputy chief ministers, the Minister of Soil and Water Conservation, and the Minister of Water Supply, to discuss these issues. Pawar, who recently toured several drought-affected villages in the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency and interacted with farmers, will continue visiting more villages on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, according to his party officials.