Thaindian News

Mumbai, June 25 (IANS) As the monsoon continues to play truant, Maharashtra stands on the threshold of a grave water crisis, a top official indicated here Monday.

Ringing alarm bells, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Monday admitted that with the monsoon failing to report on time in most parts of the state, the government has decided to give top priority to drinking water for the people.

Accordingly, he has ordered that all the available water in all dams across the state must be strictly used for drinking purposes only.

Similarly, water to all agricultural farms will be cut off with immediate effect to conserve water for drinking, he added.

“I have ordered all district collectors to cut off power supply to all water pumps drawing water for agriculture purposes, so it can be diverted for drinking purpose,” a grim Pawar, who also holds the energy portfolio, told media persons here Monday afternoon.

Other officials point to a grave water crisis ahead in the state as the monsoon has failed to set in properly and June - when nearly one-third of the season’s total rainfall is usually experienced - has gone virtually dry in the entire state, barring a few pockets in the coastal Konkan region.

“In at least 88 talukas (sub-districts), there is acute scarcity of water and we have deployed over 2,500 tankers to supply drinking water over the next few days,” an official from the water supply department said.

The state capital, Mumbai also is facing a major crisis as the monsoon has skipped its regular date of downpour - June 10 - this year.

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation warned Monday that there is sufficient drinking water supply to last only another 19 days.

It has already started imposing water cuts, which would be intensified progressively if the rains continue to elude the city and surroundings.

After July 15, unless there is abundant rainfall, the city with a population of nearly 18 million will face severe water shortages for the rest of the year.

In large parts of Vidarbha, the ground water levels have sharply receded as an extended summer has increased pressure on the scarce natural resource.

“Usually in May-June, tube-wells can draw up water from around 100-200 feet. This year, the depths have plummeted to more than double and yet there is little or no water,” Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishor Tiwari said.

The state government and BMC administration have been issuing regular appeals to people to conserve water in these critical times.