A deficient rainfall caused by El Niño could lead to a possible drought in Maharashtra as water levels in dams have dropped below 25 per cent.
The worst affected is the Pune region, which covers Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur and Pune districts. The water levels in the dams in these districts are below 14 per cent, and water tankers have been pressed into service. The revenue divisions which are better off are Amravati and Nagpur. The Amravati division has the highest storage of water in dams, at nearly 38 per cent. Following Amravati is the Nagpur division, where dam water storage is close to 36 per cent. The Konkan division has 30 per cent water storage, the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar division has 27 per cent water storage, and the Nashik division has 25 per cent water storage.
Last year at this time, the water level in the dams was above 30 per cent.
A meeting was held by Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and he has instructed officials to prioritise dam water for drinking purposes only.
As water storage continues to decline, the number of tankers being used for water supply is increasing every week. At present, there are nearly 1,000 water tankers supplying water to 915 villages and 2,579 hamlets. A week earlier, the number of tankers being used was 706; it has shot up to nearly 1,000 this week.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said that the government must make arrangements for drinking water to last till the end of August.
Senior NCP (SP) leader and former Finance Minister Jayant Patil told The Indian Express that the effects of El Niño could be felt across Maharashtra. He said the government must take the Opposition into confidence and find a solution to the water crisis.
