Scarcity threatens to dry up vote bank; Rs184cr relief plan being drawn up.
Nearly two-thirds of Maharashtra is staring at one of its thirstiest summers in recent history. As per the state government’s figures, more than 16,500 villages and 6,000 hamlets in Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Khandesh are in the throes of water scarcity.
With elections round the corner, divisional authorities say the administration has been directed to mitigate the crisis on a war footing.
The water supply department has prepared a Rs184 crore action plan for the next three months and district-wise plans are being submitted to Mantralaya, the seat of government in Mumbai.
The Ground Water Survey and Development Authority estimates that the water table has receded steeply in 133 tehsils across the state. These include 41 in Aurangabad division, 36 in Nagpur, 27 in
Amravati, 11 in Konkan, 10 in Nashik, and seven in Pune division.
Most reservoirs in Vidarbha and Marathwada have between 12 and 35% of their storage capacity. The water resources department says the average water level in the reservoirs at this time of the year is usually about 47%. Last year, the average water storage in the reservoirs was over 60% at this time of the year.
“We are already walking long distances to fetch water from farm wells,” said a villager in Apatapa village of Akola, which is among the worst-hit districts. Water tankers have already begun making the rounds in many parts a fortnight ago. “We are reserving the available water in reservoirs only for drinking purpose,” said an official of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation here.
The immediate effect of the water scarcity has been on the rabi and summer crops. Across Vidarbha and Marathwada, the area under the rabi crop has fallen drastically.
For farmers who have sown wheat or cereals, production is set to dwindle by more than 50%, say officials.
“More than 120 government tankers have been pressed into service,” officials in the water supply department said.
But in Akola, Amravati, Nagpur, and Wardha, there are reports of private water tankers fleecing people.
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