Aurangabad (Maharashtra): Water in 964 reservoirs in Maharashtra's drought-prone Marathwada region stood at 49.79 percent of capacity as on Monday, compared to just 5.97 percent on the same day last year, thanks to sufficient rains during September-October last year, as per state Irrigation department data.
Jayakwadi Dam on the Godavari river, the biggest among the reservoirs in the region, is 73.33 percent full as against 'zero storage' during the same period last year, the data showed.
Reportedly, Manjara Dam, which supplies water to Latur, one of the major districts in the region, continues to be in 'zero storage' level as was the case last year.
As per the Irrigation department website, water availability in major dams is 61.64 percent, as against 3.13 percent on the same day last year, 39.04 percent in medium dams, as against 10.68 percent last year, and 26.57 percent in the minor reservoirs, as against 10.23 percent last year.
However, water conservation expert Pradeep Purandare said that the situation was still grim due to several distribution channels remaining unrepaired.
"This high level of water in dams shows we are not utilizing enough for irrigation. This high availability may also increase sugarcane cultivation which requires a lot of water," he claimed.
(With inputs from PTI)
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