Sharad Pawar begins Solapur drought tour, says Centre must decide quickly on Gyanesh Kumar

A shadow of drought hangs over the state this Diwali. Amid drought tours, the government has also given farmers an advance aid of Rs 5,000. Against this backdrop, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar has begun a drought tour. He will be in Solapur district today and tomorrow. During the tour he spoke to the media and answered questions on the INDIA bloc's agitation in Delhi, the drought situation, the role of the government and the AI data centre at Ujani.

Pawar said he was going to see the drought for himself. Today he will visit the Dudhali area of Madha taluka, where the local MLA will accompany him and brief him. According to him, farmers need water and fodder most. As an example, he said that of 139 villages in Solapur, 135 are being supplied water by tanker. In Madha taluka, 110 tankers are running, and this is the picture of just one district. Pawar said he would meet people directly and try to get their needs met. He expressed confidence that he would make a request to the state government and that help would come. According to him, he has already met the Chief Minister and held meetings in Delhi, and some way would be found to help farmers.

The INDIA bloc is holding an agitation in Delhi demanding the resignation of Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. On this, Pawar said the Centre needs to decide immediately. According to him, no decision has been taken, which is why opposition parties are coming together in Delhi today. Pawar also said that Supriya Sule and Sanjay Raut would fight in the agitation, while his own focus is on water, fodder and drought.

On water, Pawar said demand is rising every day and drinking water is a major concern. In his view, water from Khadakwasla in Pune and other dams must be spent carefully. This needs to be kept in mind from now until about June, and water reserves should be watched.

MLA Rohit Pawar and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLAs have opposed the AI project at Ujani. Sharad Pawar said it is not the case that water is lost once AI arrives; water simply has to be used with care. He said he would go there, hear what people have to say and, if some improvement is needed, make it.

On Diwali, Pawar said there will be no Diwali at his home this year and he will not celebrate. The late Ajit Pawar died in January. This is the first Diwali without Ajit Pawar, so the Pawar family will not celebrate any festival this time.