Hail horror in 48 hours, damage to 38,500 hectares

NASHIK: Six talukas of the district have received 1,202mm rainfall accompanied by hailstorms during the last two days resulting in a loss of crops on about 38,500 hectares, district officials said. Unseasonal rain and hailstorms hit Nashik on December 11 and 12.
District collector Vilas Patil said teams have been rushed to the affected places that have reported crop damage.Panchanamas of these areas have already begun. A report about the losses incurred by the farmers would be submitted in this regard to the state government. Crops such as pomegranate, grapes, onion, wheat, gram and maize have been severely damaged.
Resident deputy collector Jitendra Kakusthe said 306 villages in 20 talukas have been affected so far. Baglan, Chandwad, Igatpuri, Nashik, Nandgaon, Yeola, Deola, Kalwan, Surgana, Dindori, Malegaon, Sinnar, Trimbakeshwar and Niphad talukas are the worst affected due to unseasonal weather.
The district administration has recorded the loss of 25 cattle in Yeola, Chandwad, Baglan and Malegaon talukas due to hailstorms and lightning. Two houses have been completely damaged in Baglan taluka, while four houses have been partially damaged. No loss of human life has been reported so far.
Though farmers affected by the hailstorm have demanded special package to bail them out of the natural calamity, the district administration claims it would take at least three weeks to complete the panchanama process and submit the reports to the state government.
State agriculture commissioner Umakant Dangat said preliminary report of the unseasonal rain has affected 16,747 hectares belonging to 5,766 farmers in 136 villages in six talukas on November 11 of Nashik district. Detailed reports of damage on the two days were awaited.
"Onion crop has been damaged over 8,513 hectares, grapes on 1,333 hectares, pomegranate on 4,773 hectares, gram on 166 hectares, wheat on 437 hectares, cotton on 291 hectares and other crops on 1,051 hectares has been reported," he added.