Nagpur: Bhandara, also known as the rice bowl of Vidarbha, is facing heavy paddy losses after a prolonged dry spell and a pest attack, prompting guardian minister Pankaj Bhoyar to direct officials to speed up the assessment process under Trigger-1.Last week, state govt declared three talukas in Bhandara as drought-like; now assessments have begun in another two — Tumsar and Mohadi — to check if they can also be added to the list. Bhoyar visited the two talukas where farmers informed him about the complete wipeout of crops due to lack of rainfall.“Farmers have raised crops by spending heavily on sowing, fertiliser, seeds and tilling. But as the rain turned its back when it was needed most, they are worried about not getting the expected yield,” Bhoyar said.The minister visited farms at Palora, Dewala and Sukali in Tumsar and at Salai Khurd, Dhop, Khairlanji and Kandri in Mohadi, and spoke to farmers about the losses.“Rain has been lower than expected this year because of the El Nino effect. Last month, there was no rain for almost 20 days on a stretch. This has created a big crisis for farmers,” Bhoyar said.Sangita Mane, district superintendent agriculture officer, said rice accounts for more than 90% of the crops grown in Bhandara. “Rice cultivation covers 1.83 lakh hectares across the district. We are conducting a crop damage assessment on war footing, and the report will be submitted to the authorities soon,” said Mane.Not just rice, cotton crops have also taken a hit, Mane said. “In some villages, farmers have started sowing cotton too. Due to deficient rainfall, plants have failed to produce cotton bolls,” Mane added.Bhoyar said pest infestation has increased due to the dry weather. “The absence of rain has led to growth of specific pests which damage crops. This has compounded the problems of farmers. Now, they are staring at heavy losses,” said Bhoyar.With farmers demanding immediate relief, Bhoyar assured that authorities are working as fast as possible. “I have instructed the administration that they must go to every field, conduct surveys in all areas, and send the ground report to state govt so that we can help the farmers of this region,” he said.Assuring farmers of relief, Bhoyar said, “Farmers won’t be left alone. Govt will stand with them with full strength to support their toil and give them relief.”Meanwhile, Sakoli MLA and former state Congress president Nana Patole said govt is ignoring farmers’ need for instant relief. “Why do you need to wait when the crop damage is visible to all? Just pay the farmers if you really care for them,” said Patole.
