Monsoon delay may bring down water level in dams

MUMBAI: Following the delay in arrival of monsoon and the subsequent dry spell, the water stored in dams across the state is likely to decline resulting in shortage of drinking water in drought-prone Marathwada and Vidarbha regions.
Significantly, following successful implementation of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s Jalyukta Shivar scheme, Maharashtra has witnessed a drastic reduction in the number of tankers.Last year, 6,139 tankers were deployed to tackle drinking water shortage, while now only 1,176 tankers have been deployed.
A water resources department official said the total water stored is 15.42% now against 6.86% on June 20, 2016. “We were expecting proper monsoon showers in the second week of June, but now it appears we will get that in the last week of June. Compared to last year, the drinking water situation across the state is satisfactory, but we will have to be prepared for a delayed monsoon,’’ he said.
Pointing out at a sharp decline in water stored in June compared to April and May, the official said that in most regions, the quantum of water stored is better compared to last year (see box).
The official said that the Marathwada region experienced its worst ever situation last year. There was no water in the Jaikwadi dam, the biggest earthen dam in Asia, while Latur and Parbhani, besides imposing prohibitory orders, water was transported by rail from Sangli following the intervention of Fadnavis and railway minister Suresh Prabhu.
On the deployment of tankers, the official said the massive water conservation programme under the CM’s Jalyukta Shivar scheme has helped to improve the underground water level. As a result, fewer tankers were deployed this year. “Last year, we deployed 6,130 tankers, where as on June 19, 2017, only 1,176 tankers were in service. In the worst-affected Marathwada region, we had deployed 3,968 tankers last year as against 377 today. Our goal is to make Maharashtra tanker-free,’’ he said.