Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, raised a pressing concern today as he disclosed that 1,555 farmers had tragically taken their lives by July 31 this year in Maharashtra. This tragic development has unfolded against the backdrop of an impending drought crisis, leaving Wadettiwar to question whether the government fully comprehends the gravity of the situation.
Wadettiwar noted that over the past six weeks, 13 districts in the state have experienced rainfall levels below the seasonal average. He further pointed out that numerous reports have linked the escalating farmer suicides in the state to drought-like conditions and the perceived apathy of the Eknath Shinde government.
Addressing the media, Wadettiwar revealed that the Amravati division reported the highest number of farmer suicides, with a grim tally of 637 in the first seven months of this year. Among the districts, Amravati witnessed 183 farmer suicides between January and July 31, followed by 173 in Buldhana, 149 in Yavatmal, 94 in Akola, and 38 in Washim.
Additionally, the Aurangabad division recorded a distressing figure of 584 farmer suicides, while Nashik division reported 174, and Nagpur and Pune divisions each documented 144 and 16 farmer suicides, respectively. Notably, there were no reports of farmer suicides in the Konkan division, Pune, and Kolhapur districts.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Wadettiwar pointed out that June experienced the highest number of farmer suicides, reaching 233 during that month. The figures for other months in the first half of the year were 226 in January, 192 in February, 226 in March, 225 in April, 224 in May, and 229 in July. Wadettiwar passionately urged the government to declare a drought, stating, ‘Farmers are losing their lives every day. When will the government acknowledge this dire situation?’
