Mumbai: As Maharashtra seems to be staring in the face of one of the biggest water crisis in recent decades, section 144 has been imposed around kukadi canal in Ahmednagar district here on Tuesday.
In more bad news for the drought-hit Marathwada region, an official had earlier said that only 3 percent water is left in dams in the parched region.
Eight of the region's 11 major dams are at dead storage level, meaning water from these dams cannot flow out but has to be lifted.
"This is a drastic decline in water storage as at this time last year, the level in Marathwada's dams was much higher at 11 per cent," PTI quoted Aurangabad Divisional Commissioner Umakant Dangat as saying.
This is the fourth year of drought in Marathwada in the past five years. Each of its 8,522 villages have been affected for two consecutive years.
As many as 2,745 water tankers are being used in the region compared to 939 this time last year.
Latur in Marathwada has been getting water by a special "water train" filled at Miraj in western Maharashtra.
The Aurangabad collector has already announced a 20 per cent water cut to local breweries and a 10 per cent overall cut to local industry.
According to a weekly bulletin of the Central Water Commission (CWC), water levels at 91 major reservoirs nationwide are the lowest in a decade - no more than 29 percent.
(With Agency inputs)
