Farmers stand in lake water as part of protest in Maharashtra's Nagpur district

NAGPUR: A group of farmers stood in a lake in Maharashtra's Nagpur district as part of a protest demanding release of water from the reservoir to avoid damage to their crops. Nearly 50 cultivators stood in the Khindsi lake water for about three hours on Monday to press for their demand.

The farmers had taken land on lease for farming in the catchment area of the lake, but the area got flooded after heavy rains last month. On October 30, the farmers requested the sub- divisional officer to release water from the lake to save their crops.

When the water was not released, they stood in the lake to register their protest. Tehsildar Balasaheb Maske and local police officials rushed to the spot to pacify the protesters. Maske assured the farmers that he would arrange a meeting of their representatives with irrigation department officials on Tuesday to resolve the issue, following which the cultivators ended their protest.