Marathwada staring at desertification: Water expert

Aurangabad (Maharashtra) : With only percent water left in the Marathwada dams, water expert Pradeep Purandare on Wednesday warned that Marathwada is heading towards desertification.

"Marathwada is heading towards desertification. In fact, there are possibilities of desertification if present situation continues. Situation is serious in Osmanabad, Beed and Latur. Six projects have completely dried up," Purandare told ANI.

"Water level in Marathwada dams is at historic low of three percent," he added.

Latur in Marathwada has been getting water by a special water train filled at Miraj in western Maharashtra.

The 50-wagon train arrived in Maharashtra's Latur this morning with 25 lakh litres of water.

Eight of the region's 11 major dams are at dead storage level and thus water from these dams cannot flow out but has to be lifted.

In the wake of drought situation, the Maharashtra Government has decided to ban digging of borewells below 200 feet to check further depletion of ground water.

The decision came close on the heels of cut in water supply to industrial units including breweries in the severely affected Aurangabad district.

This is the fourth year of drought in Marathwada in the past five years. Each of its 8,522 villages has been affected for two consecutive years.