Eknath Shinde has instructed all district officials and local bodies to take immediate action to prevent water shortages during the ongoing summer season
Eknath Shinde called for speeding up temporary water schemes, desilting of lakes, and completing pending water supply projects
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday chaired a meeting on water crisis in parts of the state and asked the officials to take immediate action on the issue, the officials said.
Several rural areas in districts of the state, including Nashik and Yavatmal, has been facing water scarcity recently.
An official statement said that Shinde has instructed all district officials and local bodies to take immediate action to prevent water shortages during the ongoing summer season.
Shinde stated that people, whether in rural or urban areas, should not have to wander in search of drinking water.
The statement said that during a video conference with divisional commissioners, district collectors, and other senior officials, the deputy CM said that ground-level visits must be carried out to check the water situation and provide quick solutions in areas facing shortages.
The meeting was also attended by Water Supply Minister Gulabrao Patil, State Minister Meghna Bordikar, and key department secretaries.
He directed the administration to plan water supply up to 15 July, ensuring that existing water stocks last through the summer.
Shinde asked officers to act proactively and monitor the situation closely, especially in the next two months, it said.
He also reviewed the number of water tankers deployed and compared the current situation to last year’s drought conditions.
At present, 447 villages and 1,327 hamlets across 17 districts in Maharashtra are being supplied by water tankers. Last year, the situation was worse, with tankers serving 580 villages and 2,281 hamlets, the statement said.
Shinde said that the officials must stay connected with the field situation.
He urged BDOs, tehsildars, gram sevaks, and police patils to actively survey their areas and take prompt action.
The districts in state that haven’t submitted action plans must do so within the next few days, he told the officials.
He also called for speeding up temporary water schemes, desilting of lakes, and completing pending water supply projects. Tankers must be deployed in remote areas where people walk long distances for water.
Eknath Shinde advised the administration to respond quickly to media reports about water scarcity and provide accurate information. He also instructed that wells may be acquired if needed and that the water quality must be tested, as lower water levels can lead to contamination.
Drinking water tankers must be clean and fitted with GPS to prevent misuse, he told the officials.
He added that repairing hand pumps and stopping illegal water extraction from small projects are also the priorities that officials must attend immediately, the statement said.
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