Maharashtra: Section 144 imposed in Latur to avoid violence over water

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Maharashtra's drought-hit Latur in order to avoid violence over water shortage. 

Section 144 has been imposed in Latur till May 31. The order prohibits assembly of more than five people in area around wells and water filling points to tackle any form of violence.

An official said the notified places include all tanker-filling points, public wells, tanker-plying routes and storage tanks in the district.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan on Sunday targeted the state government after Section 144 was imposed, saying that the situation could have been easily avoided had the Devendra Fadnavis-led government acted earlier. 

"The situation in Latur is very serious. Whatever is expected from the administration is not being done. The situation will always turn explosive or dangerous when there is no water available for drinking for 40-45 days....The government is totally responsible for this situation. If the government would have taken some steps to help the people, such a situation could have been easily avoided," he said. 

Earlier, we had reported about the grim water situation in Latur, Marathwada's worst drought-hit districts. (Read: Where residents get water once a fortnight in the middle of the night)

With the dams going dry and Municipal Corporations disconnecting complete water supply, youngsters and old women alike are forced to hit the streets in Latur at midnight for water. Parked vehicles, handcarts and residents stand in queue for at least 3 hours, waiting their turn to fill empty vessels, highlighting the worsening water situation.