A total of 1,555 farmers died by suicide till July 31 this year in Maharashtra where the threat of drought looms large, claimed Vijay Wadettiwar, leader of Opposition in the assembly, on Thursday, wondering if the government was aware of the severity of the situation.

According to Wadettiwar, 13 districts of the state have received below-average rainfall in the last one and a half months. The Congress leader claimed that several reports have stated that farmer suicides in the state are on the rise because of the drought-like conditions and apathy of the Eknath Shinde government.