In the cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and several ministers expressed deep concern over the situation. Although no relief package was announced immediately, CM Fadnavis directed the state administrative machinery to remain on high alert.
After discussion in the cabinet, the government made it clear that formal announcement of drought cannot be made immediately. Under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines and central rules for drought management, an official survey (panchnama) of crop losses and ground level investigation must be conducted only after October 5 to get financial help.
The Cabinet reviewed regional reports which revealed that 18-19 districts have been experiencing prolonged drought, with Marathwada, Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra being the worst affected.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and the CM directed all district collectors and field administrations to be on high alert and prepare initial relief proposals. Local administrations in the affected districts have been ordered to prioritize water stock from existing dams and reserve it strictly for drinking water only to prevent possible water crisis in urban and rural areas.
Awaiting the start of the official survey on October 5, the government is preparing emergency relief lists, assessing the availability of fodder for animals and directing agriculture departments to guide farmers for protective irrigation of remaining kharif crops.
According to the report prepared by the state agriculture department on area-wise crop status, 37.21 per cent of the sown area in Beed has been damaged; 27.83 percent share has been damaged in Jalna and 7.06 percent share has been damaged in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Soybean, moong, urad and cotton crops are drying up on light soil lands in Latur, Dharashiv and Parbhani.
Large scale outbreak of 'Yellow Mosaic Virus' has also been observed in soybean crops. In rain-dependent areas of western Maharashtra like Solapur, Satara, Sangli and Ahilyanagar, crops of moong, urad, soybean, maize and millet have been adversely affected due to prolonged absence of rain. There is a possibility of 20 to 25 percent reduction in yield in these areas.
There is a big threat to soybean and cotton crops in Vidarbha region. Many talukas of Amravati, Akola, Buldhana and Washim have not received rain for 2 to 3 weeks.
Soybean crops on light soil soils have dried up, and farmers who have irrigation facilities are doing protective irrigation to save crops. Paddy transplantation has been delayed in parts of Nagpur, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli due to low rainfall. The growth of maize, cotton and other crops has stopped due to lack of rain in some talukas of Nandurbar and Nashik in northern Maharashtra.
However, recent rains in parts of Dhule and Jalgaon have brought some relief to the Kharif crops. Nandurbar has received only 46.6 percent of the normal rainfall.
Severe rainfall deficiency has been recorded in Solapur, Kolhapur, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Parbhani, Hingoli, Akola, Washim, Amravati, Wardha, Nagpur and Chandrapur.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders, including Congress' Vijay Wadettiwar and Solapur MP Pranati Shinde, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, have demanded immediate declaration of drought in the affected districts. He said that there is severe shortage of rain in 19 districts and more than 83 tehsils and the danger of shortage of fodder and water is looming.
The opposition has demanded the state government to immediately release an emergency relief package, waive off crop loans and arrange for fodder camps and water supply through tankers without waiting for the formal post-monsoon deadline.