Even as total usable water stored in Maharashtra’s dams is higher compared to the last year, the State has seen a sharp rise in the number of tankers deployed in villages and hamlets since first week of May. The number of tankers has also surpassed previous year’s number. But the government has said that the number is very less and is not a cause of concern.
As per the information from State’s Water Resources Department (WRD), the usable water in State’s dam as on May 19 is 38.45% of the total capacity while on the same day last year it was 37.44%. But total number of tankers, both government and private, being deployed in the State was 187 in first week of May, has increased to 355 in third week as on May 17.
Data from Water Supply and Sanitation department shows that in a week starting from May 2, a total of 213 villages and 563 hamlets were being supplied water through tankers. By May 17, the number has risen to 402 villages and 965 hamlets. On May 9, the numbers were 281 villages and 738 hamlets.
Last year on May 17, the number of tankers being used was 319 for 402 villages and 734 hamlets.
The data shows that in 2022, Maharashtra’s coastal Konkan region which includes Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts is using highest number of tankers with 92 being deployed presently in 144 villages and 457 hamlets. It is followed by north Maharashtra which includes Nasik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon and Ahmadnagar with 90 tankers in 105 villages and 141 hamlets. Vidarbha’ Nagpur region which covers Nagpur, Wardha, Gondia, Bhandara, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts have zero tankers in use.
“The number 355 is not a high for a State as big as Maharashtra and this demand too is concentrated in particular districts, not widespread. We expect that the total demand will touch to around 500 to 550 till monsoon reaches here, but it is not a cause to worry at all,” said Sanjeev Jaiswal, Principal Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation Department.
Mr. Jaiswal said that the government is working on many fronts for water conservation to ensure as much less dependency on tankers as possible.
