In Bhayandar, rain-hit tillers rue govt apathy

WAITING FOR PANCHNAMAS

Like other districts in Maharashtra, unseasonal rains have also damaged paddy and vegetable crops in rural parts of Mira-Bhayandar in Thane district.

However, the rain-hit farmers are facing a double whammy — one is heavy losses due to water logging and the other is the cold shoulder response and apathetic attitude shown by the district authorities in conducting spot panchnamas (damage assessment exercise).

This despite standing instructions by chief ministerDevendra Fadnavis to respective district administrations to complete the damage assessment exercise at the earliest. Although farmers have been assured of financial aid without the exercise, the panchnamas will ensure the provision of maximum assistance and compensation the affected farmers.

“Deprived of any type of facilities and assistance, the farmers of this region have always been subjected to step motherly treatment. And now when we have been left devastated, there is no one to bail us out,” lamentedKennedy D’Souza, a farmer from Uttan.

An official attached to the revenue department, however, clarified concerned Talathis have already been ordered to conduct panchnamas and work has begun. While rains have played havoc with paddy crop in villages including Rai, Murdha, Morwa, Ghodbunder and Chene, vegetable crops like lauki (bottle gourd) and bhindi (lady finger) have been wiped out in the coastal parts of Uttan near Bhayandar.