Archive · 4 Oct 2026
Pune Begins Crop-Loss Assessments Across Eight Drought-Hit Tehsils
Pune officials are checking how much damage drought has caused to crops.
The checks cover eight tehsils and about 1.25 lakh hectares of kharif crops.
Teams from three government departments are doing the inspections.
They have been told to finish by October 8.
The district had decent rainfall overall, but rain did not fall evenly everywhere.
Some places got heavy rain, while others stayed dry for a long time.
Officials will send their findings to the government so it can consider help for farmers.
They are also planning how to manage water until the next monsoon.
Tankers can be sent to places with severe drinking-water shortages.
Pune district has begun assessing kharif crop losses across about 1.25 lakh hectares in eight drought-affected tehsils.
Joint teams from the Revenue, Agriculture and Rural Development departments are conducting the field assessments, known as panchnamas.
The administration has set October 8 as the deadline and plans to send its report promptly so the government can process relief.
District Collector Jitendra Dudi said rainfall varied widely across Pune, with some areas receiving heavy rain and others enduring long dry spells.
Water planning is underway; major dams were reported at 65% to 90% capacity, and tankers may be sent to villages facing severe drinking-water shortages.
- Who
- Pune district administration, including teams from the Revenue, Agriculture and Rural Development departments, and farmers in the affected areas.
- What
- Officials are assessing kharif crop losses over about 1.25 lakh hectares and preparing a report for possible government relief.
- When
- The assessment is due to be completed by October 8; water planning began in July.
- Where
- Eight Pune district tehsils: Bhor, Velhe, Daund, Indapur, Purandar, Baramati, Shirur and Khed.
- Why
- The tehsils were declared drought-affected following rainfall deficiency and prolonged dry spells, and the assessment is needed to inform assistance for affected farmers.
Districtwide rainfall figures
Local drought conditions
How to assess rainfall
Districtwide rainfall figures
Pune district recorded decent overall rainfall during the monsoon.
Local drought conditions
Collector Jitendra Dudi said rainfall was uneven, and assessments are based on conditions in individual tehsils, including rainfall deficiency and prolonged dry spells.
Water availability
Districtwide rainfall figures
Major dams were reported to hold around 65% to 90% of capacity.
Local drought conditions
The administration is planning water use through the next monsoon and monitoring village drinking-water supplies; tankers may be deployed where shortages are severe.
- Area under assessment
- About 1.25 lakh hectares of kharif crops
- Number of affected tehsils
- Eight
- Assessment deadline
- October 8
- Assessment method
- Field-level crop-loss assessments, called panchnamas
- Departments involved
- Revenue, Agriculture and Rural Development
- Reported dam storage
- Major dams in Pune district were at around 65% to 90% capacity
- Statewide drought declarations
- 265 of Maharashtra's 358 tehsils were declared drought-affected