After Congress, Shiv Sena to launch agitation for release of Pench water to farmers

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Shiv Sena
Nagpur: Following the footsteps of Congress, leaders of Shiv Sena would be launching an agitation demanding release of water to farmers from Pench project. Due to scanty rainfall coupled with construction of Chaurai Dam at Pench, the farmers are facing water shortage for irrigating their standing crops. Shiv Sena leader Ashish Jaiswal has announced that the party will launch Kisan Satyagrah from October 29.

Shiv Sena leaders met the Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with the demand of release of Pench water for farmers, cancellation of supply of 78 MLD water to Nagpur city. Fadnavis in turn held a meeting with Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan and high-ranking officials. But a decision on demands of Shiv Sena has not taken as yet. Hence the party has decided to launch Kisan Satyagrah and force the government meet its demands.

Currently, around 70,000 farmers of the area are being provided water from borewells and wells. But the period for supply of water from these sources has not been fixed. The government has not conveyed farmers when the irrigation facility will be provided to them.

Recently, Saoner MLA Sunil Kedar, District Congress President Rajendra Mulak and hundreds of other party men and farmers had resorted to ‘Chakkajam’ protest at Mansar, near Ramtek demanding release of water from Totladoh Dam and Pench reservoir to farmers of Parseoni, Mouda, Kamptee and Ramtek for providing irrigation facilities to agriculture lands in view of scanty rainfall.

Kedar had claimed that BJP Government’s loan waiver decision is just to lure the farmers. The electricity bill is hiked by 30%. Farmers are not benefited at all.