Neera river dries up, water scarcity hits western Indapur; farmers petition Agriculture Minister

Drought conditions have set in across the western part of Indapur taluka because of the lack of rain. The bed of the Neera river, which flows through the area, has dried up completely, hitting farmers and villagers. The water shortage is worsening by the day.

Drinking water for livestock and water for people's daily use have become serious problems. With the riverbed dry, farmers also face the question of where to get water for their fields. They are struggling to provide water to their animals.

Fodder for the animals has also begun to run short. As the shortage worsens, farmers are asking how they will look after their livestock.

Against this backdrop, farmers from the Kalamb, Chikhali and Kurwali areas met the Agriculture Minister. They submitted a memorandum describing the situation in their area. In it they demanded that water be released into the Neera river and that the bund on the river at Kalamb be filled.

People in Kalamb village are finding it difficult even to get water for daily use. Villagers have said they hope that filling the Kalamb bund on the Neera will help ease the shortage in the area. The farmers met the Agriculture Minister and explained the situation in support of this demand.

The memorandum was handed to the Agriculture Minister by young leader Jay Phadtare. Phadtare said the minister told them the memorandum would be considered positively at the canal committee meeting, and that the release of water would also be considered.

Phadtare said the situation in rural areas is currently dire because of the drought. He said water must be released into the Neera at the earliest to fill the bunds. Farmers from the Chikhali, Kurwali and Kalamb areas were present.

The water shortage has put agriculture, livestock and the daily lives of villagers in difficulty. Farmers are therefore demanding that the administration take an urgent decision on releasing water into the Neera. If the Kalamb bund is filled, water availability in the area could improve. Villagers are watching to see what stand the department concerned takes and what is finally decided on releasing water.