Mumbai: There is a severe water scarcity across the state, despite various drought relief programmes being undertaken in many districts. The agony is likely to be persist until July, and even then, clouds of distress loom large — the weather bureau has forecast delayed and below normal rainfall this season.
In reservoirs across the state, the storage, as of May 27, is 13.1 per cent, well below last year’s 23.14 per cent in the corresponding period. Water storage in the reservoirs of Aurangabad has dropped to 2.86 per cent, while in Konkan, it is 33.69 per cent, Pune 12.6 per cent, Nashik 13.29 per cent, Amravati 20.1 per cent and Nagpur 8.85 per cent. Meanwhile, drought-stricken areas are receiving drinking water through tankers – their lifeline. Till May 27, 6209 tankers had been despatched to 4920 villages and 10,506 wadas. The most number of tankers, 3,233, has been despatched to 2,286 villages and 785 wadas in Aurangabad.
In Nashik, 1,377 tankers have provided water to 1,066 villages and 4,020 wadas. In Pune, 1,000 tankers have provided water to 853 villages and 4,958 wadas, while in Amravati, 421 tankers have provided water to 401 villages. In Konkan, 125 tankers have provided water to 274 villages and 743 wadas; and, in Nagpur, 50 tankers have provided water to 40 villages.
Moreover, 1,500 fodder camps have been set up in the state. The state has announced a Rs 4,500-crore assistance package for farmers. Apart from this, drought-stricken villagers have been assured of various schemes such as discount in electricity bills, waiver of educational fees, freeze on loan interest. Drought has been declared in 28,524 villages, of which 17,895 villages have received relief funds.