Measures proposed to tackle possible water crisis in 3,800 villages in Divn
   Date :09-May-2019

 
Staff Reporter:
 
Nine tehsils in Nagpur Division including Katol, Kalmeshwar, and Narkhed in Nagpur district are facing severe drought situation
 
The measures include new tubewells, special repairs of piped water supply schemes, temporary piped water supply schemes, water supply through tankers or bullock-carts, deepening of public wells, acquisition of private wells, completion of piped water supply schemes on priority
 
 
WITH increasing intensity of heat and depleting water stock, the administration has started working on various measures to tackle possible water scarcity in 3,800 villages in Nagpur Division. The estimated cost of measures proposed under water scarcity combat plan for Nagpur Division is Rs 91,49,97,000. Under the plan, as many as 7,746 measures have been proposed for 3,800 villages that are likely to face water scarcity by the end of July. The plan is to be implemented in three phases in 3,865 villages and 192 settlements in the Division. Nagpur Division has six districts namely Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli. Of these, three districts are worst-hit as far as water situation is concerned. In these three districts namely Nagpur, Wardha, and Chandrapur, 180 private wells in 150 villages have been acquired to provide water to the people.
 
 
At least nine tehsils in Nagpur Division are facing severe and moderate drought. Katol and Kalmeshwar tehsils are facing severe drought. Other seven tehsils facing moderate drought are as follows: Narkhed, Ashti, Karanja, Brahmapuri, Nagbhid, Rajura, and Sindewahi. Besides, drought-like situation has been declared in 45 circles in division. As per the projections, 116 tankers may have to be deployed in Nagpur district, 50 in Wardha, and five in Chandrapur district, considering the possible scarcity of drinking water in two months.
 
Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, took stock of the situation on Wednesday and asked the District Collectors concerned to plan accordingly. He also asked the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishads concerned to pass on the instructions to village-level staff to ensure that water being supplied through tankers was disinfected properly.
 
The measures in the plan include new tubewells, special repairs of piped water supply schemes, temporary piped water supply schemes, water supply through tankers or bullock-carts, deepening of public wells, acquisition of private wells, completion of piped water supply schemes on priority etc. The Divisional Commissioner asked the officials concerned to take up works relating to 2,644 measures in 1,991 villages on priority. Of these measures, work on 1,015 in 840 villages is in progress and 492 in 256 villages have been completed, the officials informed him. Dr Sanjeev Kumar took stock of the water storage in irrigation projects too.
 
Accordingly, he said, water should be released from irrigation reservoirs as per the allocation for drinking water supply purposes. From Itiadoh project in Bhandara district, 4 MCuM water should be released for supply to 29 villages in Lakhandur tehsil, and 3 MCuM should be released from Bawanthadi project to quench the thirst of 13 villages in Tumsar tehsil. The power supply to water supply schemes should be restored, if severed over non-payment of bills. The Government has made available funds to clear the electricity bill dues of water supply schemes, he added.