The unseasonal rains and hailstorm a few days ago has wreaked havoc for farmers in several villages in six districts of Nagpur Division. As per the preliminary assessment, crops in 29,231.19 hectares in Nagpur Division have suffered damage. As per the data with the administration, farmers in 1,377 villages in Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli districts have suffered crop damage due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm. Apart from damage caused to crops in 29,231.19 hectares, as many as 121 houses and cattle-sheds were partially or fully damaged in the division. Further, eight cattles died. Also, a young man lost his life in Nagpur district. The district-wise number of villages affected due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm is as follows: Nagpur -- 11, Wardha -- 52, Bhandara -- 89, Gondia -- 185, Chandrapur -- 326, and Gadchiroli -- 714.

 

Obviously, Gadchiroli is the worst-hit district with crops in 8,566.79 hectares damaged in the calamity. Though only 11 villages in Nagpur district were affected, it has suffered heavy crop damage. The crops in approximately 7,495 hectares have been damaged in Nagpur district. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister of district, toured the affected parts of Nagpur district. He visited Bailwada, Gumthala, Gumthi villages in Nagpur Rural tehsil; Dahoda, Jamuniya, Ghoti in Ramtek tehsil; Karambhad, Itgaon, and Lonkhairy in Parseoni tehsil. Dr Raut interacted with affected farmers including Jagannath Sheshrao Jumde in village Bailwada, Ashok Morey (Gumthi), Rekhatai Kumre (Dahoda), Deorao Uikey and others.

 

These farmers suffered due to damage to tomato, orange, brinjal, cashewnut, cotton, tur, wheat, soyabean, cauliflower, cabbage, fenugreek, onion, etc. Krupal Tumane, Ramtek MP; Adv Ashish Jaiswal, Tekchand Sawarkar, MLAs; Vimala R, District Collector; Vijaykumar Magar, Superintendent of Police, Nagpur Rural; Indira Chaudhary, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), Nagpur Rural; Vandana Virani, SDO, Ramtek; Milind Shende, District Superintending Agriculture Officr; Ashish Wankhede and Balasaheb Mhaske, Tehsildars, and officers of Agriculture Department and Revenue Department.