Maharashtra drought: Farmer uproots 1,000 sweet lime trees as water runs dry

After 12 years of nurturing a seven-acre orchard, a Jalna farmer has lost around 1,000 sweet lime trees to a severe water shortage.A farm stands on his orchards as dried-up trees are uprooted. (Photo: ITG)New Delhi,Oct 28, 2026 17:53 ISTA farmer in Maharashtra's Jalna district has been forced to uproot around 1,000 sweet lime trees after a severe water shortage destroyed his 12-year-old orchard, wiping out years of hard work and a source of future income.Ganesh Waghmare, who cultivated the orchard across seven acres in the Rahera area of Ghansawangi tehsil, used a JCB machine to remove the dried-up trees after attempts to save them failed. He had planted the orchard in 2014 and spent 12 years nurturing it in hopes of providing financial security for his family.The worsening water crisis in the region is now threatening not only seasonal crops but also fruit orchards that take years to grow and begin generating income. A JCB machine is seen uprooting trees in a drought-affected orchid. (Photo: ITG) KILLED BY WATER SHORTAGEWaghmare's orchard, located on plot number 156 in Rahera, required regular spending on fertilisers, pesticides, labour and water. But insufficient rainfall this year led to a serious water shortage, causing water levels in local wells and borewells to fall. Unable to secure enough water for the trees, Waghmare watched the damage spread. The leaves began drying out, followed by the branches, until the entire orchard withered.He tried to save the trees but could not arrange an alternative water supply. With little hope of reviving them, he eventually decided to uproot around 1,000 trees. The destruction has left him facing heavy financial losses. Not only has the money invested in maintaining the orchard gone to waste, but the income he had expected from it in the coming years has also disappeared. A JCB machine uproots a dried tree at an orchard in Maharashtra. (Photo: ITG) OTHER ORCHARDS AT RISKThe water crisis is threatening other farmers in Ghansawangi tehsil, where sweet lime, pomegranate and other fruit orchards are also struggling to survive.Farmers are concerned about how they will arrange enough water to keep their trees alive over the next eight months. Without timely intervention, more orchards could dry up, deepening the financial strain on farming families.Affected farmers have urged the administration to immediately assess the damage to fruit orchards and provide appropriate compensation. They have also demanded arrangements to supply water to farms and help save orchards that are still standing.For Waghmare, the loss means starting over after 12 years of nurturing his orchard. Rebuilding it will take time and investment, while the continuing water shortage threatens the livelihoods of other farmers in the area.- Ends