Team Blitz India
MAHARASHTRA’S Ministry for Water Works and Sanitation has prepared an action plan to take daily stock of available water resources. Committees at the village level, comprising Block Development Officer (BDO), tehsildar and legislator, are updating inputs on available resources, on a regular basis, according to reports.
The ministry then takes stock of the situation and directs the officials concerned to initiate suitable steps, informed State Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation, Gulabrao Patil, recently. There is a drinking water shortage at present with heat scorching the state. Inadequate monsoon last year has led to a substantial decline in water levels across the 2,994 dams, which fell from 80.94 per cent as of January 2023, to 55.09 per cent in January 2024. The Ujani dam, one of the largest in the state, is said to have reached its dead stock level.
The action plan has been mooted to ensure that the situation does not worsen. Admitting that the situation is ‘grave’, the Minister has sought the support of the people and urged them to manage the available water resources themselves.
Tankers have been pressed into service to supply water in villages facing acute shortage. Such services have been made available in Marathwada, Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra, among other areas.
