Several parts of the state are facing severe water crisis due to insufficient rains, which has also resulted in depleting storage in reservoirs.The biggest dam in the Krishna basin -Ujani -has no water left.
“While the situation is so serious in Krishna and adjoining basins, a large amount of water from the Krishna basin is being diverted to the water surplus Konkan region which has received close o 1600 mm rainfall (by August). This westward diversion of water from the east lowing Krishna-Bhima basin ultimately takes the wa er to Arabian sea, while the Krishna basin, which should have the first right over this water, remains plunged in massive water scarcity ,“ said Parineeta Dandekar and Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) in a letter written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The Krishna basin water is diverted to Konkan and further to Arabian sea through Koyna, Khopoli, Bhivpuri and Bhira dams. The total installed capacity of the fourstage Koyna hydro electricity project is 1,920 MW while that of three private power stations in Khopoli, Bhivpuri and Bhira is 297 MW. Between July 1, 2015 and August 17, 2015, about 367.25 million cubic metres of water has been diverted for the four dams.
“The collective live storage in Koyna and three other dams can be easily released into the Bhima-Krishna basins which will benefit large parts of the rain-deficit areas right till the tail end of the Krishna delta. The people living in the Krishna basin have a natural right over this water,“ Dandekar told TOI.
Solapur-based activist Praful Kadam said, “The water situation in Solapur and Marathwada region is going to worsen. The government has failed to understand the gravity of the situation. It is time the government takes stringent steps and takes control of all dams and relea se water for the affected areas on priority.“
Activists say the westward diversion of 367.25 million cubic metres of water from the Krishna basin during July 1 to August 17, 2015 could have been avoided if the state government had taken timely action. Even now the water stored in these dams can be released for the rightful use of people in Bhima and Krishna basin. In such a situation, Maharashtra can certainly afford to forgo some power generation in the interest of drought-hit farmers, say activists. The water, if released, can be taken across the basin in multiple ways. “It could be flown into the Ujani dam and from there to Beed and Osmanabad in Marathwada through pipelines which are already in place for drinking water supply . Through the Bhima-Seena link tunnel, it can flow into Seena river and can be used by bordering parts of Marathwada and Solapur district for drinking water, provided it is ensured it does not get used up for sugarcane and sugar factories and other such non-essential activities,“ said Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP.
“We don’t have any problem in releasing water from dams controlled by private power generation company .But the state government will have to take a call on this.Water has become a sensitive issue and hence the state irrigation department will stick to the state’s orders,“ said a senior irrigation department official.
Arjun Sawant, an entrepreneur from Solapur, said the water issue is being politicized. “We are not bothered from where the water comes.We are suffering and the situation will worsen in the days to come if water is not released in to Ujani,“ he said.
The politicians from Solapur and Marathwada have already approached the government demanding release of water in Ujani. “Solapur city and rural areas are reeling under drought. We will launch an agitation if the government fails to make a provision (of water) for us,“ said Santosh Patil, Solapur district Congress chief.
Source : TOI
