What is the severity of water crisis in Maharashtra?

Maharashtra is faced with an unprecedented water crisis. The rivers of the state have dried with water level in dams and reservoirs depleted to untold proportions. There is an unprecedented depletion of ground-water. This has led to concerns of long-term water availability. The government has resorted to the help of water tankers for meeting the needs of the people. This is three times the number of tankers which had been deployed in the previous years. Many villages have completely become dependent on the tanker water for meeting their daily needs. The Marathwada region is the hardest hit. Latest survey by the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency has stated that 279 talukas of a total of 359 are experienced severe groundwater depletion in ground water levels. In almost 2642 villages in the state, the groundwater levels has touched 3 metres which is the lowest as seen over the five-year average. The government has also invested in the cloud-seeding experiments in the catchment areas of the dams.

Topics: GS-I: Poverty and Developmental Issues