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Monsoon may have arrived a fortnight ago but the overall water stock in 3,267 dams across Maharashtra is alarmingly low at 9.82 per cent, prompting the state to urge farmers not to rush kharif sowing. The water stock in the dams during the same period last year was 20.24 per cent.
“In 3,267 dams, the water stock is only 4,015.23 million cubic metres. Together, these dams can hold 40,897.95 million cubic metres of water. Which means, the water stock at present is only 9.82 per cent,” an official of the agriculture department said.
Keeping this in view, farmers have been asked to exercise caution and wait till July-end. The state agriculture department has been regularly updating the 1.36 crore farmers across the state through mobile phone apps.
“Last year, almost 20 per cent additional expenditure incurred by farmers was due to second sowing of kharif crops. After the initial rain, farmers rushed into sowing. But a long dry spell after that ruined their crops, forcing many to go for second sowing. Rain returned in mid-August, playing truant, impacting yield and causing additional expenditure,” an official said.
IMD has predicted 95 per cent rainfall this monsoon in Maharashtra. The monsoon arrived late in the state, arriving on June 25 instead of June 7, as initially predicted. However, rainfall in catchment areas has been a cause of concern, officials said.
Another aspect which has set the administration worried is zero stock in 24 dams — Nalganga (Buldhana), Isapur (Yavatmal), Paithan (Aurangabad), Manjara (Beed), Majalgaon (Beed), Yeldharai (Hingoli), Siddeshwar (Hingoli), Lower Terna (Osmanabad), Sina Kolegaon (Osmanabad), Lower Dudhna (Parbhani), Gosikhurd (Bhan-dara), Bawanthadi (Bhandara), Dina (Gadchiroli), Mula (Ahmed-nagar), Kadwa (Nashik), Bham Dam (Nashik), Chaknapur (Nas-hik), Vaitarna HEP (Nashik), Darna (Nashik), Gangapur (Nashik), Ghod (Pune), Pimpalgaon Joge (Pune), Bhima (Ujjani) (Solapur) and Kundali Tata.
Paithan dam, which serves Aurangabad, had a 22.07 per cent water stock in the same period last year. Lower Terna in drought-hit Osmanabad had a 43.24 per cent water stock this time last year.
The monsoon is crucial as 151 out of 355 talukas in the state are reeling under drought.
The water stock in 964 dams in Aurangabad division in Marathwada is a paltry 0.58 per cent. In Nagpur division, 384 dams have a water stock of 7.61 per cent. In Amravati division with 446 dams the water stock is 8.03 per cent. Konkan with 176 dams is better with a water stock of 48.24 per cent. Whereas, Nashik with 571 dams has a stock of 16.76 per cent. Pune division with 726 dams has a stock of 11.55 per cent