Maharashtra Drought Crisis: Govt Orders Revival Of Defunct Water Supply Schemes Within 15 Days, Tankers To Be Last Resort
The Maharashtra government will treat water tankers as the last resort in tackling the drought situation and has directed district administrations to revive defunct piped water supply schemes within 15 days. It will also prepare special standard operating procedures (SOPs) for drinking water management and fodder availability to prevent shortages in drought-hit areas. Bawankule Chairs High-Level…
Maharashtra's government has declared water tankers a last resort in response to the drought crisis and mandated complete restoration of defunct piped water supply systems within 15 days. District officials are tasked with preparing precise Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for managing drinking water and fodder shortages in affected areas.
At a high-level meeting in Mumbai, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule directed district collectors to expedite projects left incomplete due to funding issues and initiate fresh Government Resolutions (GRs) under the Jal Jeevan Mission to revive stalled schemes. The state faces a Rs 3,000 crore backlog of unpaid water supply scheme bills.
To combat fodder shortages, district administrations are instructed to set up fodder banks and transport surplus fodder from districts with adequate supplies to those facing shortages. The government will provide fodder seeds worth Rs 62 crore to farmers with assured water sources. The administration reports 70% of crop damage surveys are completed and the full dataset is expected by October 31.
They also called for leveraging CSR funds and DPDC funds for drought relief, emphasizing the need to first explore and restore existing water sources before relying on tankers to ensure adequate drinking water and fodder supplies in drought-stricken regions.
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