Monsoon rains relief on govt, water stock 87%
Maharashtra's ample monsoon has eased water shortages, boosting morale for the ruling alliance ahead of elections, with reservoirs at 87.54% capacity.
Mumbai: The abundant monsoon has spared the people of Maharashtra from water shortages; it has also brought relief to the ruling Mahayuti alliance and state administration in the run-up to the assembly elections as it means one less issue to tackle.
Maharashtra has 2,997 small, medium and major dams, with a total storage capacity of 40,498 million cubic metres (mcum). With the monsoon retreating on September 30, the state Water Resources Department states that storage is 35,450.92 mcum, that is, 87.54% of total capacity, an increase of 13.50% over last year. As for Mumbai, the combined water stock in the seven lakes supplying water to the city is currently at 99.47% of total capacity.
This is a huge relief as, last year, many regions in the state like Marathwada, North Maharashtra and even parts of Western Maharashtra faced water shortages as the reservoirs had not filled up adequately. As a result, drought conditions had been declared in many parts of Maharashtra in 2023. This year, as the state prepares to go to the polls, rising water levels in the reservoirs due to a copious monsoon have lifted the spirits of the ruling alliance and the administration.
All eyes were on drought-prone Marathwada but there is no cause to worry. This region too experienced generous rainfall this year, with water storage rising to 75.70% - double that of last year.
The Pune region, which faced a 20% water shortage last year, can now breathe easy. This year, water availability is at 91.76% of total capacity. North Maharashtra received around 10% more water than last year, with reservoirs in the region at 83.44% capacity.
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