Nashik: An onion-growers' body on Saturday urged the Maharashtra government to show the same urgency for rain-affected farmers as it does for traffic disruptions like the recent Mumbai-Pune expressway landslide.
The Maharashtra State Onion Growers' Association president Bharat Dighole stated that while inconvenience caused to commuters during heavy rains got immediate attention, the financial losses suffered by farmers due to recurring natural calamities and crashing crop prices are rarely met with equal concern.
"When traffic comes to a standstill in cities for a few hours, the entire state's attention is drawn to it. But when excessive rains, hailstorms, unseasonal showers, floods or drought destroy farmers' crops, the same amount of concern is rarely seen," Dighole noted in a statement.
He pointed out that farmers battle crop diseases, erratic weather, price crashes and transport bottlenecks, often suffering losses worth lakhs of rupees in a single day, yet continue farming with resilience.
Describing the traffic disruption due to a landslide on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as a temporary problem arising out of heavy rains, Dighole said such incidents could occur during major infrastructure projects or natural disasters.
"Rather than politicising such incidents, there should be a constructive discussion on how to minimise such occurrences in future, strengthen emergency response systems and reduce inconvenience to citizens," he said.
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Dighole further said that the investments made in expressways, roads, bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure ultimately benefited the public, including farmers, by improving connectivity and reducing transportation time and costs.
Efficient transport infrastructure was crucial for perishable farm produce such as onions, vegetables and fruits, as timely access to markets helped preserve quality and improved the possibility of better returns for farmers, he said.
Dighole clarified that the association was not aligned with any political party and would continue to support measures that promoted farmers' welfare.
"Cities and villages are equally important for Maharashtra's development. Along with the inconvenience faced by urban residents, farmers' suffering also deserves an equally sincere hearing," he added.
