Maharashtra leaders survey districts hit by floods

While Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and relief and rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar toured some of the

While Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and relief and rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar toured some of the flood-affected districts from western and central Maharashtra on Sunday, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, leaders of opposition Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar will start tour of the districts from Monday.

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Harvest ready crops of soybean, sugarcane, cotton and pulses on more than seven lakh hectares have sustained massive losses due to the heavy rain and flooding in Osmanabad, Solapur, Parbhani, Latur, Sangli and Satara from October 13. The incessant rain has also claimed lives and damaged houses as well as other structures.

Pawar visited a few villages in Solapur and Latur, the two districts which saw substantial crop losses due to the heavy rain over the past few days.

The NCP chief also announced he would lead a delegation of members of parliament (MPs) from ruling parties in Maharashtra to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand a relief package for the farmers who suffered losses.

“A drought affects crops, but torrential rain hits crops and the agricultural land as the surface run-off leads to soil erosion. It is a long-lasting loss for farmers and will take years for the soil quality to be restored. The crisis will have effect on the agricultural economy of the state. The state will help farmers, but it has its own limitations. The Centre can lend a helping hand,” he said.

Wadettiwar faced the wrath of the farmers during his tour of Nanded district, as they shouted slogans demanding immediate relief.

Former MP and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti too has demanded immediate relief from the state. He has also written to PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah to deploy NDRF teams to survey the losses.

Medical education minister Amit Deshmukh and social justice minister Dhananjay Munde too visited villages in Nanded and Beed, respectively.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, whose MP Sambhaji Chhatrapati toured Osmanabad district, slammed the state.

“The leaders from the ruling parties have been demanding a relief package from the Central government. The first responsibility of immediate financial aid lies with the state government. While in power, our government had released relief funds immediately in case of such calamities,” said Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.

He also taunted chief minister Uddhav Thackeray saying it is because of their criticism that the CM stepped out of his house for the first time, to visit the flood-affected villages.