Water stock in Maharashtra dams dips to 22 per cent

The average water stock in nearly 3000 dams across Maharashtra has declined to 22 per cent of their total storage capacity with the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division recording the lowest at 906 per cent according to an official report on WednesdayAs of Wednesday the Maharashtra 2997 dams had 2264 per cent of their total storage capacity available for use This current stock is 917 per cent lower than the same day last year which was 3181 per cent reported PTIAccording to the report dams in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have the lowest average stock of all of the states six water divisions 906 per cent The Pune division ranks second with 1635 per cent followed by Nashik at 2450 per cent Konkan at 3588 per cent Nagpur at 3841 per cent and Amravati at 3896 per centBMC Imposes water cuts as lake levels drop below 10 pcMeanwhile due to lake levels falling below 10 per cent the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has decided to impose a water curtailment beginning May 30 As a preventive move to extend the available water stock the civic body will adopt a 537 water cut beginning at the end of May and a 10 per cent cut starting on June 5A recent report stated that a water cut was impending due to low water storage in all seven dams Currently 140202 million litres of water are accessible accounting for only 969 per cent of the total capacity of 1447363 million litresIn 2021 and 2022 the monsoon was active until October 15 However in 2023 there was relatively little rain in October As a result the water stock is approximately 564 per cent lower this year than last according to a BMC official He further stated that the BMC is continuously monitoring the water stock and adjusting the daily delivery accordinglyThe state administration has permitted the usage of an additional 137000 million litres from the Bhatsa Dam and 91130 million litres from the Upper Vaitarna Dam thus there is no need to be concerned Furthermore the Indian Meteorological Department has projected a punctual arrival of the monsoon this year which is good newsHowever the BMC has chosen to execute the water cut as a precaution due to recent increases in temperatures rising evaporation rates and a water storage of less than 1037 Last year the state government approved 15 lakh gallons of conserved water from these two lakes and the BMC did not declare a water cut in May However because the monsoon was delayed and water stocks continued to diminish the BMC implemented a 1037 water cut on July 1The BMCs water supply to Thane BhiwandiNizampur Municipal Corporation and nearby villages would also be reduced by 537 and 1037 respectively beginning on the indicated dates The water cut will remain in force until satisfactory rainfall is received and the water bodies stocks improve