Dry taps, shrinking water stocks: Maharashtra battles thirst amid scorching heat

Amravati and Akola districts in the Vidarbha region are currently facing the double whammy of intense heat and a water crisis. Temperatures have soared to 45 to 47 degrees Celsius. Roads are deserted in the midday sun, fields are parched, and long queues for water are visible in villages.

In Short

• Women in several villages have to travel kilometres to fetch drinking water
• People in regions with saline water rely on water collected in underground pits
• Water stocks available for Mumbai have fallen to 19% of the total capacity

Mumbai has been witnessing a 10 per cent cut in water supply since May 15 as water stored in the seven lakes that quench the city's thirst has fallen to just 19.22 per cent of maximum capacity.

The lakes have a combined storage capacity of 14.47 lakh million litres. The actual water stocks have, however, depleted severely, and owing to a bleak forecast for the upcoming monsoon by the metrological department, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has implemented the measure in order to ensure that the stored water lasts at least till August.

The civic body, however, has still sought help from the state government with the aim of wading over the worrisome situation in case monsoon, which is expected to hit Mumbai by June 10, evades the catchment areas of the seven lakes. In the meantime, other districts of Maharashtra are reeling from water shortages already.

CRISIS NOT LIMITED TO MUMBAI

With temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius, villages in Melghat depend on tankers, and water from deep pits in the "saline belt."

Amravati and Akola districts in the Vidarbha region are currently facing the double whammy of intense heat and a water crisis. Temperatures have soared to 45 to 47 degrees Celsius. Roads are deserted in the midday sun, fields are parched, and long queues for water are visible in villages.

The situation in the Melghat and Chikhaldara areas of Amravati district has become especially dire. In many villages, people have to wait for hours to fill even a single pot of water. Water is being delivered by 21 tankers to nine villages in Chikhaldara taluka, while private wells have been acquired in 17 others.

Despite this, the water shortage remains unresolved. Women travel several kilometres with pots on their heads. Dry wells and defunct hand pumps underscore the severity of the crisis. For many families, the day begins with the search for water, with a large part of the day being spent in the struggle.

One villager said, "First we have to arrange for water; only then can we do labour or other work."

The administration has been assuring the public that the number of tankers may increase in the coming days, as the situation is likely to worsen by the end of May.

Sneha Dhawale, Zila Parishad Water Board Officer, Amravati says, "As per the District Magistrate's order regarding water scarcity, 21 tankers have been deployed in Naugaon, Chikhaldara tehsil. There are 80 water sources in the entire district. We have authorised 89 water sources there and are implementing all possible solutions to address the water shortage."

HEALTH, SOCIAL LIFE ALSO AFFECTED

The situation in the "saline belt" area of Akola district is even more painful. The groundwater here is completely salty, making it unfit for drinking. The villagers dig pits along the river bank and collect the seeping water. This water is not clean, but it is their only option to quench their thirst.

Villagers say this situation has persisted for nearly the past 50 years. The water shortage is affecting not only livelihoods but also social life. Many families are struggling to find suitable matches for their children, as marriage proposals are increasingly discouraged by the region’s severe water scarcity.

Crores of rupees were spent on the Kavatha Barrage, built to address the water crisis, but due to technical reasons, it is unable to retain water. As a result, the scheme, which was expected to bring relief to the people, remains incomplete. People have to dig holes in the river bank to fetch water.

The water crisis is also increasing in Akola city. Presently, only 27 percent of the water remains in the Katepurna Dam, which supplies water to the city. In view of this situation, the administration has drastically reduced water supply. While, earlier, water was supplied every three to four days, now it is being supplied once every six days.

People are facing severe problems in the summer due to lack of water for air coolers and other essential needs. In areas where regular water supply is not available, tankers are being supplied. However, disputes and clashes between people during water refills have become common.

The intense heat and water shortage are also affecting people's health. More than 500 cases of heatstroke have been reported so far, and two people have died. The situation is similar in Chandrapur where temperatures are frequently touching 47 degrees Celsius, and women can be seen wandering for water with pots on their heads.

TAPS, BUT NO WATER SUPPLY

In villages in the Gondpipri tehsil of Chandrapur district, taps without running water compel women to set out with pots as soon as dawn breaks. Though there is one well in the area, the water in it is saline.

Ultimately, the only hope for survival in the area is a dry drain. Heti Nandgaon, Chak Nandgaon, and Tole Nandgaon, all in the Gondpipri tehsil, are three villages where water remains a major problem. Women in the area dig a hole in a drain, then wait for the water to slowly seep through the ground and collect in the hole. The dirt and mud on top is filtered out, and the remaining, seemingly clear, water is then filled into pots and taken home.

It takes about fifteen minutes to fill a pot, but if the water in the hole runs out, they have to wait for it to accumulate again. The scorching sun, the burning ground, and hours of struggle to find water have become a large part of these women's daily routines. As the heat increases, the water sinks deeper, forcing them to dig even deeper.

In May, the situation usually becomes so bad that they have to dig up to eight feet deep to retrieve water. The most surprising thing is that this problem is not new, but has been prevalent for generations. Governments have changed, schemes have been introduced, and announcements have been made, but the ordeal of these villages remains the same.

Tarabai Yelamule, an elderly woman aged about 100 years, explains that she has lived in Heti Nandgaon since childhood, and the situation has always remained the same. At one time, she used to fetch water from two kilometres away, and now her family members go through the same struggle.

The water scarcity in the village is far from a definitive solution. A few years ago, pipelines and taps were installed under a regional scheme. On paper, water was stated to be supplied to seven villages, but the reality is that there is still no water supply to Heti Nandgaon, Chak Nandgaon, and Tole Nandgaon.

While every house has taps, not all of them receive water. Even if water does occasionally come to some homes, it's so dirty that it's unfit for consumption by humans. Around two years ago, work began on building two new water tanks near the drain outside Heti Nandgaon, but the project was later halted.

The project, which cost lakhs of rupees, is now under scrutiny. Villagers claim the tap water is so dirty that water collected from underground pits appears cleaner in comparison. The water in the village's wells is salty and unsuitable for drinking, so residents use water from wells and taps only for bathing, washing clothes, and utensils. Meanwhile, they still rely on pit water for drinking.

Devrao Yelmule, a resident of Heti Nandgaon, says there was not enough water in his house when his daughter was about to get married. Though he has a tap connection, his house has never received running water. Therefore, he had to arrange for a water tanker during the wedding.

- Ends