Latur, Nov 12: With severe water scarcity taking a toll on sugarcane and other agricultural crops in Latur district, former Maharashtra minister and Congress MLA Amit Deshmukh on Thursday visited drought-hit farms in Ekurga, Hisori and Khandala villages to assess the damage and reassure farmers of support.
Deshmukh interacted with affected cultivators and inspected sugarcane crops that had dried up due to inadequate rainfall and depletion of groundwater. “Do not worry, we stand firmly with you,” he told the farmers, assuring them that he would pursue the issue of compensation with the state government.
Water Scarcity Hits Sugarcane Cultivation
The prolonged dry spell has affected not only kharif crops but also sugarcane and other irrigated crops. Farmers have reported poor sugarcane growth and a significant decline in per-acre yield. With open wells and borewells running dry, several cultivators have been left with no option but to harvest their standing sugarcane prematurely to minimise losses.
During the visit, Deshmukh inspected the farms of Devanand Gade at Ekurga, Jayram Janardan Shinde at Hisori and Harishchandra Shrihari Zadke at Khandala. He said it was distressing to see crops raised through considerable investment and hard work drying up before reaching their expected yield.
Sugar Factories Directed To Prioritise Harvesting
He directed sugar factories in the Manjara group to prioritise the harvesting of drought-affected sugarcane and ensure that it was transported for crushing without delay. He also assured farmers that efforts would be made at the government level to secure appropriate compensation for those who had suffered crop losses.
Deshmukh was accompanied by former MLA and Vilas Cooperative Sugar Factory vice-chairman Vaijnath Shinde, Latur tehsildar Saudagar Tandale, Latur Panchayat Samiti block development officer Shyam Godbharele, Manjara Farmers Cooperative Sugar Factory vice-chairman Ashok Kale, former Zilla Parishad member Dhananjay Deshmukh and other public representatives and officials.
Deshmukh Reviews Sugar Crushing Preparations
Later, Deshmukh visited the Vilas Cooperative Sugar Factory at Niwali and chaired a meeting with office-bearers and officials of sugar factories under the Manjara group to review preparations for the ongoing crushing season.
He reviewed the factory-wise and operational-area-wise sugarcane harvesting schedule and directed all factories, including Vilas Cooperative Sugar Factory, to maximise crushing efficiency in view of the drought situation.
He stressed the need for proper deployment of available machinery, better coordination of harvesting and transportation, and timely movement of sugarcane from farmers’ fields to factories. He instructed officials to ensure that there were no delays in harvesting or transportation and that farmers did not face unnecessary difficulties.
Standing firmly with farmers during difficult times, protecting the value of their hard work and giving priority to their interests would remain the guiding principles of the Manjara group, he said.
Also Watch:
Farmers Raise Pending PM-Kisan Instalments
During the visit, farmer Bhairavnath Zadke brought to Deshmukh’s notice that several farmers from Khandala, Hisori and Shirala areas had not received their PM-Kisan instalments.
Deshmukh immediately contacted MP Dr Shivaji Kalge over the phone and apprised him of the farmers’ complaints. Dr Kalge assured the affected cultivators that he would instruct the concerned officials to look into the matter and take steps to ensure that eligible farmers received the benefits.
Several Congress office-bearers, elected representatives, agricultural and revenue officials, sugar factory representatives and farmers were present during the visits and review meeting.
