On Saturday, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar conducted her first drought review tour in Marathwada since assuming office following the death of her husband, former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Her visit focused on assessing the impact of drought in the Nanded, Parbhani, and Beed districts, which have been severely affected by water shortages. This tour marks a significant step in her new role as she addresses the pressing agricultural crisis in the region.
During normal rainfall, a dry spell triggers the warning, whereas Trigger 1 is bypassed only when rainfall is normal and no dry spell occurs. Pradeep Purandare, former associate professor, Water and Land Management Institute, said, ”Maharashtra has nine irrigation-related Acts, but rules have been framed only for Maharashtra Management of Irrigation Systems by Farmers Act, 2005. Officials said the package has 12 drought-relief measures and concessions. Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the comprehensive relief package covered 265 talukas, but more would be included if the situation worsens.
Trigger 1 activation occurs if rainfall is deficient or scanty alongside a dry spell, or if precipitation is classified as “scanty” without a dry spell, according to the manual. Water is being wasted and little has been done to address it. ” Joint secretary Sanjay Ingle said, “District collectors must immediately initiate loss assessment (panchanama) proceedings. Bawankule said the administration would have to ensure that govt decisions translated into timely assistance on the ground. The committee will examine district-specific requirements and recommend additional measures wherever necessary, while the authorities will continue to review the drought situation and expand coverage according to the prescribed triggers and changing conditions, as required.
If the rules are not in place, implementation suffers. Droughts may be natural, but we have not adequately prepared ourselves to deal with climate change. A comprehensive crop condition report, accompanied by geo-tagged photographs with GPS coordinates reflecting standing crop conditions across the surveyed areas, must be submitted to the govt. He will tour districts to identify implementation-related difficulties and consider measures based on their geographical conditions. Officials will also monitor availability of essential supplies and the progress of relief measures at the taluka level.
Under the directives, local authorities must ensure the immediate commencement of water conservation projects while strictly managing drinking water and livestock water requirements in line with previous govt guidelines. Collectors will prepare taluka-wise plans covering crop damage, water, fodder, foodgrain, power and employment for drought-relief measures, senior revenue officials said on Saturday.