Nagpur Collector orders crop loss panchnamas completed within 7 days

Kharif crops have been affected in Nagpur district this year. District Collector Kumar Ashirwad has ordered the departments concerned to complete the panchnama, the official assessment of crop loss, in the tehsils within the next 7 days.

Ashirwad said the panchnama must be done promptly, accurately and transparently. Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Vinayak Mahamuni, Additional Chief Executive Officer Kamlakar Phutane, and Resident Deputy Collectors Anup Khande and Pradeep Ubale were present at the meeting he chaired. District Superintending Agriculture Officer Pragya Godghate, Disaster Management Officer Ankush Gawande and other officials also attended.

The Collector directed that at the tehsil level, the tehsildar, block development officer and tehsil agriculture officer hold a coordination meeting at once. Teams of the departments concerned are then to be formed at the village level. As required, these teams should include the patwari, gram sevak, agriculture assistant or agriculture worker, and kotwal. The panchnama process should begin as soon as the teams are formed.

Ashirwad said no eligible farmer who has genuinely been affected should be left out. Cases that are not eligible or do not match the actual situation should not be included. He made it clear that this responsibility rests with the tehsildars and field officers concerned.

A daily progress report on panchnama work should be prepared for the district. A special review should be held in tehsils where the pace is comparatively slow.

The meeting also took up the issue of water scarcity. Given the possible water shortage in Nagpur district, the Collector directed officials to plan long-term and permanent measures along with temporary ones. He also asked for time-bound work to make water-scarce villages that depend on tankers free of tanker supply.

He directed that the executive engineer of the Rural Water Supply Department, Zilla Parishad, be made the nodal officer for water scarcity. In coordination with the departments and field officers concerned, the engineer is to present a comprehensive action plan for water-scarce villages at once.

Ashirwad said the plan should give particular priority to villages that depend regularly on tankers. Permanent measures should be suggested to make these villages tanker-free in phases.