With no rains, water woes worsen in Nashik

Nashik, June 15: The problem of water scarcity in Maharashtra's Nashik has worsened as the district's 12 small and medium water reservoirs have dried up. There are total 23 water reservoirs in Nashik district, with 16 of medium and seven having major capacity.

In the last fortnight, there have no pre-monsoon showers, sources in district collector office said. As per official figures, till June 14, the stock in the district's reservoirs was 2,274 mcft, implying that only three per cent water remained in 11 dams.

The Gangapur, Kashyapi and Gautami Godavari dams, the main sources of water for Nashik city, have just 1,120 mcft (12 per cent) stock left. If the monsoon gets delayed, the problem of water for the city will intensity further, sources said.

Considering less stock in the Gangapur dam, water is not released in Godavari river since a long time because of which the Gandhi Talao on the river bank has become dry for the first time in more than 100 years.

Children are seen playing cricket on the talao's dry land and the place is being used to park autorickshaws.

As per official figures, water is being supplied to 353 villages and 557 hamlets through 350 tankers in Nashik revenue division, which comprises of five districts - Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar and Ahmednagar.

According to Mayor Ashok Murtadak, the Nashik Municipal Corporation has urged private water tanker suppliers to release water in the holy Ramkunda for pilgrims who come to take a holy dip in it and also urged locals not to wash clothes, or throw waste material and food in the sacred pond.

Last week, tanker owners had filled up the Ramkunda from the water available with them.

PTI