Water stock in dams drops to 22 per cent in Maharashtra

The average water stock in nearly 3,000 dams in Maharashtra has dropped to 22 per cent of their total storage capacity, with the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) division recording the lowest at 9.06 per cent, an official report said on 29 May, Wednesday.

There are 2,997 dams in the state where 22.64 percent of the total storage capacity is available for use as of Wednesday. The current stock is less by 9.17 per cent compared to 31.81 per cent recorded on the corresponding day (29 May) last year, the report said.

Of the six water divisions in the state, dams in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have an average stock of 9.06 per cent of their total storage capacity, according to the daily report of the Maharashtra water resources department.

Pune division has the second-lowest stock at 16.35 per cent, followed by Nashik (24.50 per cent), Konkan (35.88 per cent), Nagpur (38.41 per cent), and Amravati (38.96 per cent).

On Tuesday, the state Congress unit set up division-wise committees which will tour the areas reeling under drought-like conditions and take stock of issues faced by farmers. These panels will submit memorandums to the respective district collectors, as per a party release.

Notably, 24 talukas (administrative units) in 15 districts are facing severe drought conditions, and water tankers have been pressed into service in over 3,000 villages. The situation is particularly severe in the Marathwada region.

The Marathwada committee will be headed by state unit chief Nana Patole, the north Maharashtra committee by Balasaheb Thorat, while opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar will be in charge of the Nagpur division.

Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan will head the western Maharashtra team, Naseem Khan the Konkan division and Yashomati Thakur the Amravati division, the party statement said.

Senior leaders, elected representatives, and office-bearers will be the members of these committees.