Tupkar asks Buldhana collector to release dam water to save tur and turmeric crops in drought

Drought is deepening in Buldhana district. Farmer leader Ravikant Tupkar met District Collector Dr Pravinkumar Deore on Thursday and placed several demands of farmers before him. He said farmers should not be denied the last chance to save standing crops such as tur (pigeon pea) and turmeric.

Tupkar's main demand is that farmers near dams in the district holding more than 70 per cent water be allowed to irrigate at least twice, by drip or sprinkler. He also said farmers should be given the chance to grow fodder for animals within the district during the drought, and not only to save standing crops. He put the demand forward in a forceful manner.

Explaining the situation, Tupkar said farmers had already suffered heavy losses in the kharif season because of the drought. With no rain and a shortage of water, hopes for the coming rabi season have also dimmed. If the tur, turmeric and other crops now standing in the fields survive, farmers will at least get some yield. But if farmers are not allowed to use the water despite the dams holding a good amount, the standing crops too may be lost, he said.

Tupkar made it clear that he is not asking for all the water in the dams to be released for farming. He wants farmers to be allowed to use limited water after the available stock is assessed, so that the standing crops stay alive. That, he said, is the thinking behind the demand.

Those present included Devidas Kankhar, Vinayak Sarnaik, Eknath Patil, Amol More, Haridas Ubarhande, Raju Thutte, Madhukar Dhutte, Avchitrao Dhutte and Kaduba More, among others.

Tupkar also raised the issue of electricity. He said farmers already distressed by the drought should not be troubled further over power supply. Water is needed to save the crops standing in the fields, so the action of cutting power connections of all farmers without discrimination should be stopped. He also demanded that burnt transformers be repaired and installed immediately.

The drought's impact is not limited to farmers who own land. Farm workers and landless families are also affected. Farm work has declined, hurting the earnings of these families. Tupkar therefore demanded financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh for landless farm workers.