Heavy rains over the past few weeks have led to major destruction across Maharashtra, with Pune and surrounding areas among the worst affected.
Between September 13–22 and September 26–28, the state saw relentless downpours, damaging over 32 lakh hectares of farmland. In Pune, thousands of hectares of crops have been destroyed, which raises a concern for local farmers. Many are calling on the government to declare a “wet drought” to help them get much-needed relief.
The major damages are reported in Ahilyanagar, Beed, Solapur, Jalna, Nashik, Parbhani, Dharashiv, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Yavatmal and Pune. Crops like soybean, cotton, maize, rice, sugarcane, bajra, pulses, vegetables and fruit plantations have been affected, leaving farmers facing heavy losses.
Several talukas in Pune are also amongst the worst hit, while neighbouring districts like Ahilyanagar (5.78 lakh hectares), Beed (5.71 lakh hectares) and Solapur (3.86 lakh hectares) have seen massive crop damage. Across the state, 178 talukas in 27 districts have been affected.
“The crops were looking good, but overnight everything was lost. We don’t know how we will manage,” said a farmer from Baramati.
Local authorities are working to restore connectivity to isolated villages and provide immediate aid, while farmers wait anxiously for government support to rebuild their livelihoods.
