Govt machinery taking steps to tackle water scarcity in Nagpur division
| Date :21-May-2019 |
By Ramesh Marulkar:
The situation is manageable even though groundwater level has depleted in 53 tehsils
The Government machinery continues to take up measures as per the action plan to provide relief to rural masses in 53 tehsils of Nagpur division from water scarcity problem during summer. After submitting a report on the status of groundwater to the Collectors from six districts in the division - Nagpur, Gondia, Bhandara, Wardha, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli - a couple of months ago, the respective Zilla Parishad authorities took up the measures like repairing water supply pipelines, deepening of wells, repairs, drilling of bore-wells, temporary water supply schemes, supplying water by tankers etc.
Most of the schemes have been completed while the work on remaining measures is in progress. While talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Mangesh Chaudhari, Acting Deputy Director, Groundwater Survey & Development Agency, Nagpur, said on Monday that out of 63 tehsils in the division, 53 recorded depletion in groundwater level. Of them 49 tehsils have depletion of level upto one metre, four have one to two metres while remaining ten tehsils have recorded rise in the water level due to water released through canals in command areas, he added. Bhadravati, Korpana tehsils in Chandrapur district, Ashti and Arvi tehsils in Wardha district having depleted level more than one metre are suffering problems while the situation is manageable at other places. Katol and Narkhed tehsils of Nagpur district have recorded depletion in groundwater level upto one metre.
The main reasons for depletion in water level are less rainfall recorded last year and excess pumping out of groundwater to cater to the needs of the villagers. The main water source for villagers in the division is through bore-wells. Some wells are perennial in nature and it could be safely said that out of ten bore-wells seven are functioning. Metamorphic rocks are found in Bhandara, Gondia, in parts of Nagpur and Chandrapur district. The problem of water could be solved in these places by increasing 20 feet length of pipes in the wells.
As per the readings from 621 observation wells in Nagpur division, the average groundwater level was at 6.5 metres in March month. In view of heterogeneous rocks, aquifers are found in passages and accordingly Groundwater Survey & development Agency marks water potential zones. Therefore, one cannot say as to why water level has gone down at a particular place, Chaudhari added. Meanwhile, ZP, Nagpur, drilled 210 borewells in 102 villages in Nagpur district, 63 in 50 villages in Wardha district, 130 in 114 villages in Bhandara district, 44 wells in 42 villages in Chandrapur district, 10 wells in 10 villages and no drilling in Gadchiroli district.
The work of 210 wells has been completed out of 815 proposed in the action plan for Nagpur district while the work is in progress for the other wells. When contacted Vijay Takalikar, Executive Engineer, Nagpur Zilla Parishad, he said, water is being supplied to people through 48 tankers in the district. Though water scarcity was announced in Narkhed, Katol and Kalmeshwar tehsils, no water tanker has been pressed into service so far.
Areas of outside the limits of Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Hingna tehsil are facing water problem due to construction activities. ZP has taken up other measures for providing water to the villagers and local bodies are maintaining them. There is no severe water scarcity in Nagpur district even though requirement for water is increased during summer. Different agencies are involved in water management, Takalikar added. Varsha Mane, Senior Geologist, R V Hatwar, Junior Geologist, and Nandu Kanoje, Assistant Geologist, were present on the occasion.