Nashik: From a peak 52 water tankers in the late April and start of the May, up to Zero in the first fortnight of July, the district has finally become tanker-free with sufficient availability of water in the scarcity-hit tehsils too.
Earlier tanker-water was being supplied to scarcity-hit Yeola, Malegaon, Nandgaon, Sinnar and Baglan tehsils in the district. Until last month, several of its villages had no adequate water source and were getting drinking water through tankers.
Fortunately, June average rainfall has led to a rise in the water stock of the region up to 32%, in addition to rise in groundwater table and revival of natural streams, resulting in the reduction in the number of tankers supplying drinking water.
Following the arrival of monsoon, as predicted by the meteorological department, in the district on June 7 before the Cyclone Nisarga made the monsoon activity progressive, the incessant rainfall in the catchment areas of the district dams took the water stock available in the dams and reservoirs up to 32%, thus helping the scarcity hit areas to reduce dependence on tanker-water.
This has completely averted the water crisis in the district. The dams in the district have more than 31% water storage. Therefore, the district has become tacker-free in the fortnight of July itself. This year water supply was started to water-shortage tehsils through as many as 52 tankers.
Due to the last year’s prolonged heavy rains, district dams are seeing abundant water reserves this year, signalling at prevelance of no-drought situation. The number of water tankers, which was 52 at one time, is now stands zero.
The district is now tanker-free. Also this year, due to the Corona crisis, the planned commercial water consumption has been reduced, conserving a large amount of water in the dams. The inflow of water from the catchment area to the dams resulted into revival of rivers and streams, wells and borewels to the great extent.
This has developed a positive impact on the dependence on water tanker in the district. The number of tankers, which had gone up to 52 in late April and early May, had dropped to 2, two weeks ago and now neutralised to zero.
That means that the district has become tanker-free today. Therefore, the data obtained from the administrative system shows that the crisis of water shortage in the district has been averted as there is now abundant water even in the scarcity-hit areas.
