1 hr ago

Maharashtra Deploys 611 Tankers as Central Team Assesses Drought

Many parts of Maharashtra are short of water.

Wells, borewells and ponds are drying up, and the monsoon has not brought enough relief.

The state has sent 611 water tankers to 10 districts.

They are bringing water to 517 villages and more than 2,100 hamlets or settlements.

A team from the central government is visiting to learn how serious the drought is.

Officials told the team about rainfall shortages, crop losses, and shortages of drinking water and fodder.

In Beed, authorities are acting against people accused of taking water from storage sites with illegal motors.

In Mumbai, a civic leader has asked why roads were washed with extra water during the shortage.

Key facts

Tankers deployed: 611: 15 government-run and 596 privately operated.
Areas served: 517 villages and 2,147 hamlets or settlements across 10 districts.
Most-affected division: Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, with 263 tankers.
Other tanker deployments: 153 in Ahilyanagar, 111 in Beed and 98 in Solapur.
Central team field visits: October 9 and 10 in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna and Beed; later visits were planned for Washim and Yavatmal.
Review meeting: The central team is to hold wrap-up discussions with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after its four-day statewide survey.
Beed action: Authorities registered cases and launched a joint operation against people accused of drawing water with illegal motors.

NDTV · 1 hr ago