Sharad Pawar meets rain-hit farmers in dist, assures help

Nagpur: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Thursday visited unseasonal rain-hit affected villages in the district and directly talked to some farmers. He collected information about crop damage and assured help for them.

Many farmers asked Pawar whether they would get any help from state government as president’s rule had been imposed.

Pawar told a farmer, “President’s rule will not come in way of providing relief to you. I will ensure that.”

NCP district president Shivraj Gujar said Pawar accompanied by NCP MLA Anil Deshmukh visited villages in three talukas - Katol, Kamptee and Kuhi.

Pawar arrived in Nagpur at 10 am and left for Chargaon village in Katol taluka without interacting with the media. In Chargaon, he visited the farm of Ravi Punwatkar at 10.30 am. He talked to Punwatkar at length about damage to his orange crop.

The NCP chief then visited the field of Bhaiyaji Fiske, a resident of Hatala village. Next he met Dinkar Wankhede, whose field is located off Katol bypass road. In Khangaon village, he met Ravi Tembhe. In Naigaon, he met Pradip Thakre, Yashwant Bhade in Khapa and Dhanraj Dudhkawale in Ghogra. All these farmers are orange and cotton growers.

At 2.30 pm, Pawar left for Kamptee. He talked to paddy growers and personally inspected damage to their crop. He visited Mahalgaon and Lihigaon villages in this taluka. He reached Kuhi at 5 pm and visited two villages here.

A two-wheeler rider got injured when he was hit by a car that was part of Pawar’s convoy when he was going to Katol. The accident victim was shifted to the ambulance in the convoy and taken to Nagpur for treatment. The condition of victim is stable.

The NCP chief will address the press on Friday morning and then attend an event in honour of tribal martyr Birsa Munda before leaving for Pune.