Water gives relief, corona raises concerns
MANMAD :
Water conflicts have been a way of life in Manmad where the entire city depends on a parallel water economy of water tankers, tractors and private bore wells. With the onset of summer, the citizens of Manmad are always afraid of the severe water shortage like they confront every year, but this is the first time in 35 years that they will not have to face water scarcity this time due to the abundant water stock in Waghdardi dam, a major source of water supply for the city.
This year there is 80% water stock available in Waghdardi reservoir which is a big relief for the citizens. Although the crisis of water scarcity seems to be averted this summer, the second crisis however in the form of Coronavirus has stood before them.
Manmad is well known on the map of the country as a major junction for Central Railways, Food Corporation of India’s foodgrains storage depot, which is number two in Asia, British era factory for manufacturing of girders for building railway bridges, nut-bolts and other materials and depots of various prominent oil companies.
In addition to this, the city has been known as the land of water scarcity. For the last 30 to 35 years, we have been witnessing the dreary picture of Waghdardi, which dries up every summer due to lack of rains, wells that go down to the bottom of the groundwater level, hand pumps that go out of work and borewells that go dry.
Fed up with the water crisis that is being faced since longer time, more than 10,000 people have so far fled the parched city to migrate to other cities of the state. The sanctioned industrial estate also could have become a reality due to frequent water scarcity.
Thishas increased unemployment in the city. On this backdrop, city youth even after getting higher education and proper skill, are pushed to work in other cities on meagre salaries.
However, this year the picture is somewhat different and the retreating rains had made such a strong presence in the city and surrounding areas that for the first time, both the Ramgulna and Panjhan rivers flowing through the city were heavily flooded.
Due to heavy rainfall in the catchment area of Waghdardi dam, not only the dam was completely filled to the brim but also
overflowed for the first time in 35 years.
Manmad’s water supply is highly dependent on the water discharge from Palkhed dam. Water is released from Palkhed every month. On one hand, the rains have completely filled the dam, while on the other hand, water is being released regularly from the Palkhed dam for Manmad.
Therefore, after the supply of water to the city, the municipal administration used to fill up the dam again by taking the released water into the dam to its full capacity. As a result, the Waghdardi dam, which used to be dried in March, is now 80 to 85 percent full even in May.
While the citizens are relieved to see that they will not have to face acute water shortage in this summer time due to the ample water stock in the reservoir, the sudden detection of three COVID-19 positive cases in the city has increased their concerns.
