Mumbai, March 5: In wake of low crop production, about 37% of the villages in Maharashtra are likely to get a ‘drought-like’ status soon. As per reports by TOI, the relief and rehabilitation department of the state government has moved a proposal seeking a drought-like tag for 1,4679 of the total 39,755 villages across Maharashtra. The report further states that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is examining the proposal.

As of now, there is enough drinking water available in the state, the scenario would change in the next few months as summer reaches the peak time. Reports state the crop production has fallen to 133 lakh tonnes in 2017-18 from 169 lakh tonnes recorded last financial year. The crop productivity and rainfall are among the five deciding factors for a declaration of the drought-like status to villages.

The TOI reports states that not a single village in Maharashtra was declared drought affected owing to good rainfall in 2017 but this year, the scenario is different.  About 90 villages in Amravati division recorded crop yield of less than 50 paise while 42% of the total villages in Aurangabad will be declared as facing drought-like situation.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday predicted a rise in maximum temperature in Mumbai over the next few days. In its notification, the IMD also issued a warning of thunderstorm accompanied with hail at isolated places in the districts of North Madhya Maharashtra on March 7 and 8.

The maximum temperature recorded by India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday in Santacruz observatory was 31.6 degrees Celsius, 1.2 degrees below normal. Meanwhile, the Colaba observatory recorded 31.7 degrees Celsius, which was 0.5 degrees above normal. The maximum temperature notched in Navi Mumbai and Thane on Sunday was 36.2 degrees and 35 degrees.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2018 01:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).