Sunday, May 5, 2013

Irrigation Scam: 7 of 10 major Marathwada dams dry up; crisis to go on for a few yrs

Overall water stock dips to 6%; local administration out of funds to supply water and fodder

MUMBAI: With close to two months left for the monsoon to arrive, the usable water stock (live stock) in seven large dams in Marathwada region has already been exhausted, which has set off alarm bells in the state’s corridors of power.

The average water storage from the 10 big projects in Marathwada has come down to a record low of 6%, as per figures released on Monday.

Of the 76 talukas in the eight districts of Marathwada, 39 talukas face drought. Of the 4,000 tankers that supply drinking water across the state, 1,807 are deployed in Marathwada.

The administration in Marathwada, which has sought Rs245 crore from the state government to deal with the drought situation, has now started utilising dead water stock of Jayakwadi dam. Dead water stock is not used as its usage can deplete the region’s

ground water levels. Water from Jayakwadi is supplied to Aurangabad, Jalna, Ambad and Gevrai cities, which need 52.50 MLD water a month. The dead stock is likely to last for the next four months.

“The crisis does not end even if it rains sufficiently this year as filling the dam over its dead storage level is quite difficult. Drawing water from dead stock is dangerous and its consequences are long-lasting. It means that the water scarcity problem in the region will continue for the next couple of years,” said JK Banthia state chief secretary.

REELING UNDER DROUGHT
The water supply in Jalna, worse affected district of Marathwada, has dropped to once a fortnight. It is once in four days in Osmanabad, according to local MLAs. Families in Jalna end up spending nearly R5000 a month on water, including packaged water.

Elected representatives cry foul play by the tanker lobby as they manipulate on the number of trips of tankers supplying water.

39 of the 76 talukas in Marathwada are reeling under the drought. Administration has estimated the cost of water and fodder supply for three months Rs 245 crore.
Courtesy:
24 Apr 2013
Hindustan Times (Mumbai)
Surendra P Gangan surendra.gangan@hindustantimes.com
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

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