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With rains continuing to evade Maharashtra, the dams across the State are left with just 25 per cent water compared to 46.5 per cent stock during the same period last year. The situation in drought-hit Marathwada region is alarming as dams have just 0.82 per cent water. There are 4,716 water tankers plying to cater drinking water needs of about 12,800 villages and hamlets.
Read also: Maharashtra plans cloud-seeding as 24 of 36 districts face severe rain deficit
Eight districts in Marathwada recorded 177.8 mm rainfall from June 1 to July 23 against the normal rainfall of 259.9 mm registering deficiency of 32 per cent. The Vidarbha region reported 40 per cent deficit during the same period. Yavatmal district known for farmer suicides has recorded 58 per cent shortfall with just 148.4 mm rainfall against the normal rainfall of 355.3 mm.
Kharif crop
The State has 149.74 lakh hectares under Kharif cultivation, out of which sowing has been completed on 110.36 lakh hectares (73.70 per cent). If rains continue to evade the region, farmers will have to go for another round of sowing.
Rain deficiency in the last season had pushed twenty-six of 36 districts (72 per cent) into water scarcity and crop failure over 85.76 lakh hectares affected about 85 lakh farmers.
After taking a review of the inadequate rainfall, the State government is gearing up for artificial rain in Solapur and Aurangabad districts. The government might implement cloud seeding project this week, said State Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil. The State-run fodder camps will continue to operate till August 1 as farmers have opposed its closure.
Based on the reservoir storage position, Central Water Commission issued advisories from May to July, 2019 to 11 State governments -- Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand for judicious use of available water.
Loan waiver
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena, the ruling partner of the BJP in Maharashtra and at the Centre has taken up loan waiver as one of the issues ahead of State elections. Aditya Thackeray, son of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who has started a state-wide tour has said that the party will stand by farmers and will ensure that the government provides all possible help to tackle the ongoing crisis.
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