A decision to declare these talukas as scarcity-hit would be taken after October 31.
Around 200 talukas in 12 districts of Maharashtra are facing grave water scarcity conditions, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis adding that the government will announce the names of scarcity-hit areas after October 31 after completing the requisite stock-taking of the situation in districts facing water shortage.
On Wednesday, Fadnavis on Wednesday started drought mitigation exercise by holding a review meeting for Aurangabad district with respect to water scarcity. Entire Marathwada, a few parts of northern and western Maharashtra, and parts of Vidarbha region are facing acute water scarcity due to lack of rains.
On Tuesday, Fadnavis asked his council of ministers to visit the affected tehsils and submit reports to a cabinet sub-committee by October 30. The panel, headed by minister for Relief & Rehabilitation Chandrakant Patil will suggest measures needed to mitigate the effects of drought. Measures would be taken to provide water to every corner of the state, Fadnavis assured. He also said that the government will soon set up centres where the farmers can sell their farm produce.
As of now, 354 tankers have been deployed to supply water to affected areas. As per reports, 198 tankers have been deployed to Marathwada and 125 to north Maharashtra.
20,000 villages across 201 tehsils are facing issues of water scarcity as they received less than 75 per cent of the average required rainfall. During the meeting at Aurangabad Fadnavis said that the district has received only 56 per cent of the average rainfall this year and more than half of the district has received has less than fifty per cent rainfall.
Out of 1350 villages in Aurangabad, 1332 are threatened with failed crops due to the paucity of rains. Out of 7.74 lakh hectare areas under Kharif, 6.60 lakh hectares (85 per cent area) has been affected due to lack of adequate rainfall.
DROUGHT SCARE
20,000 villages around the state may soon run out of water
1350 villages in Aurangabad with failed crops
200 talukas in 12 districts facing water shortage
6.6 lakh hectare Kharif crop area damaged
12 of 15 talukas in Jalgaon received less than 75% rainfall
56% Of the average rainfall witnessed by Aurangabad
2016 The last time the state faced a similar water scarcity
28,662 of the 40,559 villages were declared drought-hit
TECHNOLOGY TO RESCUE
CM Devendra Fadnavis told DNA that state of art technology would be deployed to assess water scarcity situation as well as irrigation and crop situation in the state. An official informed that drones are being deployed to take aerial photographs of all the areas so that factual position can be ascertained when it comes to either water scarcity or crop damage or area under cultivation for a certain crop.
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