Drinking water first, farm use second: Wardha collector sets water-use priorities

Wardha: With poor rainfall creating a water crisis in the district, Collector Vanmathi C, who also chairs the District Disaster Management Authority, has issued an order setting priorities for water use. Drinking water comes first and water for farming second. Seven talukas of the district are on the drought trigger-1 list.

Under the order, drinking water for people comes first, followed by drinking water and fodder for animals, and then essential, limited irrigation for standing crops. During the shortage, sugarcane and other water-intensive crops will come last. Reservoirs, rivers, lakes, check dams, wells, borewells and water supply schemes in the district could run dry at any time, and conditions could worsen if the El Niño effect strengthens, the order says. It is also meant to prevent needless action against legitimate farm water use.

Taluka-level special squads have been formed to detect illegal water drawing and carry out inspections, panchnamas, seizures and legal action. Each is headed by the tehsildar, with a deputy engineer of the water resources and water conservation departments as member secretary. Circle officers, police station in-charges, representatives of the groundwater agency and the power distribution company, talathis and gram sevaks are members, backed by flying squads in each revenue circle.

Source: Hindusthan Samachar