Maharashtra declares severe drought in 265 Talukas amid monsoon hiatus

Mumbai, Sep 26 (UNI) In response to a relentless two-month monsoon hiatus and the crippling shadow of El Niño that has scorched Kharif crops across the region, the Maharashtra government has officially declared a severe dry drought in 265 out of the state's 358 talukas. Announcing the landmark decision, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed that 'Trigger 1' under Central government guidelines has been invoked, bringing a staggering 75% of the state's total landmass under the official drought umbrella. Describing the situation as the worst agricultural crisis since 1972, the government has bypassed waiting for central committee inspections, choosing instead to…