NASHIK, SEPT 24: A preliminary survey of standing crops conducted by the Government has predicted a shortfall of about 25 per cent in the yield of kharif crops, due to the prolonged dry spell.According to the survey, in 423 out of the 1664 villages growing kharif crops in Nashik district, the production would be less than 50 per cent of the normal.
The most affected tehsils are Malegaon (where kharif crops in all the 148 villages have been affected), Baglan (143 out of 171 villages), Deola (all 49 villages), Sinnar (47 out of 110 villages), and Yeola (36 out of 83 villages). The situation in Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Peth, Igatpuri, Dindori, Niphad, Nandgaon, Chandwad, Kalwan and Surgana are reported to be satisfactory by officials. The district is experiencing a dry spell which has stunted the growth and led to drying up of standing crops in regions where farmers depend on rains for irrigation.
The water availability in 19 dams in the district is around 68 per cent. Only two dams -- the Ozarkhed dam(capacity 2130 million cubic feet) and the Waghad dam (capacity 2550 mcft) have overflowed. Five other dams, Darna, Gangapur, Palkhed, Karanjwan and Kadva, have been more than 90 per cent full.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.