The water situation is grim as the total storage in 91 main reservoirs across the country has gone below the last 10-year average, says the report of the Central Water Commission (CWC).
The reservoirs currently hold 91 billion cubic metre (BCM) water, which is 58% of their total live storage capacity. During the same period last year, these reservoirs had 103.5 BCM water. The current storage is also less than the last 10 years’ average storage of 98.7 BCM.
Except north and central regions of the country, the storage levels are sinking everywhere. Of the 17 major reservoirs in Maharashtra, 13 have less water than last year and also the last 10-year average. In fact, Jayakwadi, Bhima, Yeldari and Girna have less than 5% water left.
The 27 reservoirs in the western region (Maharashtra and Gujarat) have 15.89 BMC (59%) water left while they can hold 27.07 BCM water. The situation was slightly better this time last year at 61%. The 10-year average storage during the same period was 66% of the live storage capacity.
The storage in the eastern region, which includes Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Tripura, is also less than the decade’s average.
Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tripura, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh are among the states that have a better situation as compared to last year. But the storage has dipped in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.
A member of the Central Water Commission said, “The reservoir storage has been directly affected by less rainfall across the country. But previous year’s storage is also a deciding factor.”
A water expert, who is also a part of the commission, said, “During months of excess rainfall, when water levels in reservoirs goes beyond the maximum, water is released for downstream regions. But this has not happened this monsoon. In Pune, the gates of Khadakwasla dam have not been opened even once this monsoon.” Though the commission monitors levels in 17 reservoirs in the state, the number of reservoirs is much more. However, the condition is more or less similar everywhere.
At present, as many as 325 cusec water is released every day from Khadakwasla dam to meet the drinking water needs of Pune city. An additional 1,455 cusec water is released for irrigation to places like Yavatmal, Khedgaon, Urali, Daund and Indapur. “On Saturday, the major dams of the city recorded very little rainfall; from 1 mm in Khadakwasla to nil in Varasgaon and Panshet. The less rainfall has obviously affected storage levels,” a state water resources department official said.