Mumbai, February 24 Congress legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday criticised the Maharashtra government for "exacerbating the distress of farmers" by deploying police for land acquisition for the Shaktipeeth Expressway, even as unseasonal rains and hailstorms have destroyed crops in parts of the state.
Moving an adjournment motion in the state assembly, the Congress leader said that heavy rainfall and hailstorms accompanied by strong winds in the last 24 hours have caused extensive damage to standing crops in Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia, and Yavatmal districts in Vidarbha, and in Beed, Latur, Nanded, and Parbhani in Marathwada.
He stated that crops including jowar, wheat, and gram have been destroyed, while mango and grape orchards have also suffered heavy losses.
The meteorological department has issued a warning of rainfall over the next two days in Solapur, Parbhani, Nanded, and Dharashiv, which has increased anxiety among farmers, he added.
Wadettiwar claimed that the government has not yet disbursed compensation for losses caused by excess rainfall last season and has not released the promised bonus for the paddy crop.
He demanded immediate financial assistance for farmers by relaxing norms and requested a ground-level damage assessment.
"When farmers are already struggling due to natural calamities, the government is adding to their distress by forcibly acquiring their land using police force for the Shaktipeeth Expressway," Wadettiwar said, demanding that the government clarify its stand.
He claimed that notices are being pasted outside the houses of farmers for land acquisition for the Maharashtra-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway project, and that police force is being deployed for land measurement.
Around 1,000 police personnel were deployed for the process in Sahajpur-Jawla village in Parbhani, he alleged, terming the move as "undemocratic".
Wadettiwar said that farmers from Dharashiv, Sangli, Kolhapur, and other districts had protested against the project on Monday, demanding its cancellation.
The Speaker took note of the issue and directed the government to make a statement in the House.