Bhandara collector asks farmers to plan rabi, summer crops around drought and shift from paddy

Bhandara, Nov 5: Citing drought-like conditions in the district, District Collector Sawan Kumar has directed that crop planning for the coming rabi and summer seasons be done on the basis of water availability. Farmers should not rush to paddy and should first choose crops that need less water, such as mustard, gram, lentil and linseed.

A meeting of the district-level committee was called at the Collector's office to take stock of possible water scarcity, fodder shortage and the water needed for farming. Kumar reviewed the measures to be taken during the shortage.

The meeting was told that rainfall between August and September was low, which has badly hit the paddy yield. Given the lack of rain and the state of water supplies, the cropping pattern must change.

Farmers should start preparing for the next season now. Where water is available for irrigation, it should be used sparingly. Farmers with no means of irrigation should be advised to grow other crops. Officials were also told to collect full details of water availability and savings for each gram panchayat.

Where water is scarce, irrigation should be planned and governed by rules. The Collector said tehsildars and gramsevaks should visit villages, hold meetings with farmers, explain the real extent of the shortage and help them plan next season's crops properly.

The agriculture department is promoting low-water crops among farmers. Last season, 2,215 quintals of mustard seed were distributed to 2,215 farmers, one acre's worth each. Gram, lentil and mustard seed have also been made available, and some jowar seed has been distributed as well.

The meeting was told that, to keep people and farmers supplied with the water they need, special tap repair work and the acquisition of new wells have been taken up. Work under special repair and supplementary tap water schemes has been proposed.

To implement the measures effectively, the departments concerned should work in coordination. After reviewing farmers' difficulties, necessary action should be taken on subsidies and other schemes. The tehsil-level committee should submit a report on this.

Resident Deputy Collector Manohar Chavan, District Disaster Management Officer Abhishek Namdas, Water Supply Department executive Hitesh Khobragade, agriculture officers and all tehsildars of the district were present at the meeting.