Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that eight people died and 10 others were injured while a large number of people are stranded due to heavy rains and floods in Marathwada and other parts of the state.

After the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said that the directives have been issued to the district administration to conduct ‘panchnamas’ (assessment and inspection) of the damage to agriculture as there has been 975.5 mm of rainfall and it still continues in Marathwada and the adjoining districts.

He declared the state government will provide financial aid to the farmers affected by the natural calamity.

“We are conducting a rescue operation in Dharashiv. I am in talks if additional helicopters are deployed for relief works. So far the Maharashtra government has issued the government resolutions for the disbursement of Rs 2,215 crore to the affected farmers due to heavy rains since May, of which Rs 1,829 crore have already been deposited to the bank accounts of the farmers and the balance will be done in next eight days. In addition, the state government will also provide financial aid to the farmers hit hard due to the ongoing rainfall in Marathwada and adjoining districts,” the Chief Minister added.

Chief Minister Fadnavis said that the District Collectors have been given the authority to provide assistance in case of natural disaster incidents.

He added that the district guardian ministers have been asked to visit on Wednesday the concerned districts and streamline the relief and rescue operations.

The Chief Minister said that he will be personally visiting the rain affected districts and supervise the relief and rescue works.

Without naming anyone, he claimed that some parties want to indulge in politics on this issue as well.

The Chief Minister, however, appealed that no one should do politics over such a sensitive issue.

Earlier, former Union Agriculture Minister and NCP-SP President Sharad Pawar, on Tuesday, urged the Maharashtra government to quickly carry out panchnamas (ground assessment) and provide financial assistance to the farmers following severe damage to crops, cattle and properties due to heavy rains and waterlogging in various districts.

Pawar’s demand comes when the Kharif crops on more than 26 lakh hectares across the state have perished.

Farmers especially from Solapur, Latur, Dharashiv, Jalna, Parbhani and Ahilyanagar have been hit badly.

“Heavy rainfall occurred in a district known for drought, which has had a huge impact on farmers. Soybean is a reliable crop but due to water the soybean crop rotted, the produce from it is not in the hands of the farmers due to which they were devastated. I have seen droughts, but I have never seen such heavy rainfall before,” the NCP-SP Chief said.

“During such crisis, it is the responsibility of the state and Central governments to help farmers. The state government will have to immediately swing into action to conduct panchnamas and give compensation to the farmers. The Centre can also provide assistance to the states if there is a natural disaster. The state should seek the aid from the Central government apart from providing financial assistance from its share of funds,” Pawar added.

He also said that the state government needs to provide compensation for the loss of crop, cattle and the land that has been completely washed away.

“If the crop is lost, there is a loss only for that year. But if the soil on the land is washed away, the crop production stops forever. Therefore, the assistance will have to be given for the crops and also for the land damaged due to waterlogging. Along with that, the roads have been destroyed, aid will have to be given for that too. There are complaints in many places, cattle were washed away. The state government should look into all these things, the government should do this work quickly,” he added.

–IANS

sj/khz