Drought hits Thane

A ‘drought-like situation’ may be declared in six tehsils of Thane district as agriculture produce has gone below 50 per cent this year. Despite the fact that official announcement in this regard is yet to be made, the district administration has completed the first step in this direction. A formal and official report to this effect has been submitted to the state government.

Of 13 total tehsils, six which have been hit by drought-like situation are Shahapur, Bhiwandi, Jawhar, Wada, Mokhada and Vikramgarh, where paddy yield has gone below 50 per cent per acre affecting approximately four lakh people in 884 villages of the district.

The district collector, Thane, has sought relief supplies from the state government to overcome the situation. Two farmers from Wada tehsil of the district committed suicide in the last three months.

District Collector SS Jhende told DNA, “The first step of assessing agricultural produce in the district has been completed. It has been observed that agricultural production in six tehsils of the district has gone below 50 per cent per acre which may lead to drought-like situation in future. However, it is a long process and will take some time.”

Out of the six tehsils Jawhar, Mokhada, Wada and Vikramgarh are already facing the problem of malnutrition and majority of farmers in the tehsils are under reeling under heavy debts.

The gravity of the problem can be gauged from the fact that the agricultural produce in all six tehsils is zero leading to the yield below 50 per cent per acre.