As drought worsens, Maharashtra govt engages 6,597 tankers to villages

As the severity of drought increases, the Maharashtra government engaged 6,597 tankers — by far the highest number — to supply drinking water to 5,243 villages and 11,293 hamlets across the state.

According to the information received from the state, the government has never used such a high number of tankers to supply drinking water to drought-affected regions. The drought this year surpassed the drought of 2016 in severity when 6,140 tankers were used to supply water.

"Tankers as many as 6,597 set a record. In 1972, there was a severe drought in Maharashtra, but people did not face such an extreme shortage. But this year, the extent of water scarcity is unbelievable," a senior government official said on the condition of anonymity.