Crop loss following excess rainfall in water-starved Vihamandwa area force farmers to defer daughters' weddings

Aurangabad: Crop losses due to excess rainfall during the monsoon season this year have forced some farmers in Vihamandwa area here in Maharashtra to postpone the marriages of their daughters. Rains subsided in the area about a fortnight back, but farmers are still unable to enter their inundated fields and they have expressed apprehensions that the sowing of Rabi crops will now get delayed. Vihamandwa circle, located about 80 km from the Aurangabad district headquarters on north side of the Godavari river in Paithan tehsil, which was till now a drought-prone area, received 241.9 percent rain this year. As against the average expected rainfall of 564.6 mm, the area recorded 1,365.9 mm downpour, according to the revenue department. Farmers were expecting good yield of crops like soybean, cotton and pigeon pea, but there was excessive downpour last month when the crops were almost ready to be harvested. A number of cultivators are now facing financial woes due to crop damage following the rains. Vishwas Gabhud, a resident of Gabhud Vasti near Vihamandwa circle, said.