Nagpur district bans new borewells; Totaladoh holds half of what it did a year ago

Nagpur: Citing a sharp fall in groundwater levels and low reservoir storage, the Nagpur district administration has banned the digging of new borewells and the deepening of existing ones until further orders. The order, issued with immediate effect by Collector Kumar Ashirwad as head of the District Disaster Management Authority, invokes the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and applies across the district, in both urban and rural areas.

It applies to farmers, builders, housing societies, industries, institutions, commercial establishments and private individuals, and borewell contractors, rig owners and machine operators may not take up such work. Government works to tackle water scarcity and supply drinking water are exempt, but contractors carrying them out must keep the work order, administrative approval and related documents ready for inspection. Using existing borewells is still allowed.

Sub-divisional officers will monitor enforcement, while tahsildars, police, local bodies and the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency will carry out joint inspections. Violations or obstruction will invite action under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, the order says.

Meanwhile, the Totaladoh dam on the Pench river, which supplies Nagpur city and many industries, holds 49.82 per cent of its capacity, against 99.92 per cent at the end of the second week of October last year, ABP Majha reported. The district has received 35 per cent less rain this year, and the October heat is evaporating, every seven to eight days, as much water as the city uses in two days.

Sources: The Times of India; ABP Majha; ABP Majha