A Union-led inter-ministerial team has assessed the drought situation in Barshi taluka of Maharashtra’s Solapur district, where farmers reported near-total damage to soybean, tur and onion crops and urged the Centre to release immediate relief, drinking water and fodder support. All 11 talukas in the district have been declared drought-hit.
The team, led by Dr K Ponnusamy of the Union agriculture ministry, visited villages in Barshi on Friday to inspect crop damage and speak with affected farmers. Its members included Abasar Ahmed Khan from the department of drinking water and sanitation, Sumit Sharma from the department of food and public distribution, and Maharashtra agriculture commissioner Suraj Mandhare.
At Uplai (Thonge) village, the team inspected the fields of farmer Kalyan Chavan, where standing crops had been badly affected by a prolonged dry spell after sowing in July. Farmers told the team that rainfall had been only about 25% of normal, leaving soybean, tur and onion crops severely damaged.
Farmers said soybean yields, which normally range between eight and 10 quintals per acre, were unlikely to be sufficient even to recover cultivation costs this season. Their demands included immediate financial assistance, drinking water for villages and fodder support for livestock.
The team also visited the Pangaon storage reservoir, which officials found completely dry. Several other water sources in the taluka were reported to be in a similar condition, raising concerns over drinking water availability as the drought assessment continues.
After Barshi, the team proceeded to North Solapur and held a review meeting with district officials in Solapur city. It is scheduled to visit drought-affected areas in South Solapur, Mangalwedha and Sangola on Saturday.
The field inspection is taking place as district authorities complete crop-loss panchnamas, the formal assessments used to document agricultural damage. Officials said around 60% of the panchnamas had been completed, with the remaining assessments expected to finish within the next few days.
Once the assessments are complete, the district administration is expected to submit a detailed drought-relief proposal to the Centre. The proposal will follow the team’s field visits and the information collected from farmers and local officials on crop losses, water availability and livestock needs.
