Water crisis in Maharashtra: Digging riverbed, use of fire department tankers as locals face shortage

With Maharashtra facing a severe water shortage, here's how different districts in the state are dealing with the crisis.

Maharashtra's revenue department on Wednesday said that 270 tankers are supplying water in three districts of the state. The scarcity of water is expected to worsen in the coming days. We look at how these districts are dealing with water scarcity.

Fire department tankers are supplying water to Devpur area in Dhule district. Residents believe that local authorities—such as corporators—have control over water distribution, resulting in unequal distribution.

Junaid Shaikh, a Devpur resident, stated, "We received this tanker after ten days, but we require it every two days. To get the water tanker, we need the corporation's letter. We obtained this tanker on the orders of the local corporator. How are they going to decide who gets the tanker? If this problem persists, we will stage a protest against the municipal government."

READ | Power Crisis in India: List of states facing power cuts

Akola residents have dug up a section of the Maan river to obtain water. The Maan river in Akola's Kavtha Kh village has dried up. Residents have created a pond along the river and are drawing water from it.

Arunabai Gavarguru, a local resident, said, "We have been facing a shortage of drinking water in the village for the last 40 years. We dig in the river to get drinking water. It takes hours. The government has built a dam on our river, but there is no water in it."

Five members of a family drowned in a quarry in the Dombivli area near Thane district due to a lack of water at home. The incident took place on Saturday.