Drought-prone areas of Marathwada not receiving allotted water, claims Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve; warns of agitation

Shiv Sena UBT leader Ambadas Danve Friday warned of staging an agitation if the droughtprone areas of Marathwada do not receive the water allotted to themWater from dams in the upper areas is being used for nonirrigation purposes because of which the Nandur Madhmeshwar project in Marathwada is getting less water claimed Danve the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative councilDanve held a meeting with officials of the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation GMIDC in AurangabadI reviewed the status of projects in Marathwada and water for the region from the western area of Godavari basin connecting Vaitarna and Mukne projects on an administrative level A review of schemes running in Marathwada under the Central government funds was also taken he saidThe quantity of water used for nonirrigation purposes from the upper areas of the Nandur Madhmeshwar project was going up However this water is meant for farmers in Gangapur and Vaijapur talukas of Aurangabad the Sena leader saidAlso readMaharashtra Five farmer suicides reported in Yavatmal district over three daysWe will take up this issue with the state government If our voice is not heard we will take to the streets he saidTalking to PTI Danve claimed that out of 383 MCM of water from the Bham Bhavli Mukne and Darna dams of Nashik district that comes into Nandur Madmeshwar project 303 MCM is reserved for MarathwadaHowever the droughtprone region is only receiving 125 MCM water while the rest is being used for nonagricultural purposes in Nashik district he allegedMeanwhile five farmers ended their lives on account of crop failure or agriculturerelated financial issues in the Yavatmal district of eastern Maharashtra from August 13 to 15 an activist claimed on FridayA local official confirmed the incidents but said the causes of these suicides were yet to be ascertained PTI reportedAs many as 1565 farmer suicides have taken place in Vidarbha eastern Maharashtra so far this year claimed activist Kishore Tiwari a former chairman of the state governments Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavlambi Mission for farmers welfareA farmer named Manoj Rathod 35 a resident of village Yerad in Yavatmal district hanged himself due to a financial crisis on August 15 he saidTribal farmer Karnu Kinake 51 of village Tembhi killed himself on August 14 due to financial issues On the same day Shalu Pawar 42 of village Umar Vihir committed suicide Tiwari said adding that both these men had suffered losses as their crops were damaged by wild animalsOn August 13 Namdeo Waghmare 45 a farmer from village Tivrang and Ramrao Rathod 42 of village Lohara committed suicide due to financial stress the activist claimedA farmer also ended his life at village Shirala in Amravati district due to huge debt and crop failure in the last few days Tiwari saidThe main cash crop of cotton which is facing a very low demand has brought the economy to a standstill The input cost has increased suddenly and the very low credit provided by PSU banks has added fuel to the crisis he saidA senior government official in Yavatmal confirmed that five farmers ended their lives in the district recentlyPolice and the revenue department were probing whether farmingrelated distress or family disputes or any other reasons were behind these deaths he said Agencies