Even as a central government team visited Solapur district on Wednesday and assessed the losses caused by floods and heavy rains in September and October, the affected farmers in Mohol taluka lamented that the team that arrived late in the evening did not hear their complaints when nothing was visible and had to content themselves with lighting the mobile torch. However, the region’s assembly clarified that the central team’s visit was not part of the planned plan.
The central team started its visit from Limba Roy village in Beed taluka in the morning hours. The team inspected agricultural lands that were swept away by water, destroying crops, and silt accumulating on wells.
In Yavalwadi and Shirur Kasar talukas, the team examined a washed-out bridge and road. In Karigaon, Ghatpimpri and Devlali, the team examined losses, including widespread soil erosion and crop damage due to heavy rains, officials said.
By the time the team reached the villages of Solapur, it was evening. Most villages here are still suffering from power outages, as the electricity infrastructure has been damaged in several places.
Speaking to Express, Anil Pandurang Deshmukh (40), a farmer from Kolegaon in Mohol taluka of Solapur district, said the central team arrived around 7 pm when there was complete darkness. He said: “They tried to inspect the damage using a mobile torch as there was complete darkness. They did not bother to visit the damaged agricultural lands and the destroyed crops. They did not visit our homes, which were also severely damaged.”
“My house was submerged in 15 feet deep water. All household items were swept away. We incurred a loss of Rs 10 lakh,” the farmer said.
Deshmukh said he invested Rs 2.5 lakh in the sugarcane crop. “We have lost the yield of our entire four-acre plot, and even the farm has suffered from severe soil erosion,” he said. Deshmukh said: “First, the central team came late, then they were using a mobile torch to see the damage. Is it possible to inspect the damage through a mobile torch?”
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Deshmukh said that the central team did not bother to talk to them or listen to their complaints. “They just visited the dam and then left. They did not bother to listen to our complaints. They did not seem to have time to talk to us,” Deshmukh added.
The farmer said that his family is sleeping outside their house. He said: “It has been more than a month. We have no electricity at home or even on the farms. We have no water supply either. My family and I are sleeping outside our homes because we have no other option. We cannot sleep inside our home because the roof is in a dangerous condition. We cannot even enter our home.”
Rajendra Jagtap, who lives in Ashti village, next to Kolegaon, said he had invested Rs 2 to 2.5 lakh to harvest the sugarcane crop. “I lost all my crops on seven acres of land. I thought the central team that visited our village was listening to our complaints. But nothing happened. They did not inspect the damage done to us. They came to Kolegaon during the evening hours not knowing what they saw in the portable torchlight,” he said.
Jagtap said they have been living without electricity for more than a month. “After the floods, the electricity supply in our village was affected. Life became a nightmare for us,” he said.
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However, Solapur district collector Kumar Ashirwad denied that the visit to Solapur villages was part of the central team’s planned plan. “The central team reached Pune at around 4 pm. From Pune to Solapur, it takes five hours. On the way, the team expressed their desire to see the most affected village. At that time, it was dark, yet they went to the village which was close to the highway and took a look at the situation. They did not inspect or assess the damage. The actual inspection was scheduled to start from today. So, today, they visited the talukas in North and South Solapur and assessed the damage caused. Their inspection. He said: “It started around 7.30am today.”
“The villagers made the mistake of visiting the central team yesterday as part of their assessment of the damage caused by floods and rains. It was not a planned visit. But the team interacted with the villagers. Since it was dark, the people there used mobile torchlights,” the collector said.
The collector said that some villagers have already told the central team about the rescue operations carried out by the district administration. “The villagers told them how the NTRF team rescued people who were stuck on trees. They also told the central team about the money they received from the government for damage to crops,” Ashirwad said.
(Tags for translation)Solapur District
