Marathwada still thirsty as political apathy blocks water solutions

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Marathwada is gasping for water as political apathy deepens the region’s crisis. Nearly 70% of the region falls in drought-prone areas, and the Irrigation Commission has recorded an acute shortage of 260 TMC water. Experts warned on Monday that if corrective steps are not taken now, Marathwada may face a severe breakdown in basic water facilities within the next 15 years.

At a press conference organized by Marathwada Jal Samruddhi Pratishthan at the Massia office in Chikalthana, president Dr Shankarrao Nagre, vice president Anil Patil, secretary Ramakant Pulakundwar, treasurer K.M. Vadgaonkar, members Sarjerao Wagh, Arun Ghate, Dr. Rajaram Damgir, and Massia vice presidents Rahul Mogle and Manish Agrawal along with executive members raised alarm over the crisis. Dr. Nagre presented a detailed PPP model highlighting Marathwada’s irrigation backlog and exposed how repeated government assurances have failed to materialize. Parbhani, Nanded, and Hingoli districts can be saved from the acute water crisis if the 27-km Vainganga–Nalganga link project is extended to Marathwada from Washim, experts cautioned. He demanded that the government act before Marathwada loses its basic water security, stressing that surplus water from other basins must be diverted without delay. He reminded that the Chief Minister’s visit to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Marathwada Liberation Day tomorrow offers the right occasion to present a memorandum on the crisis.

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Key demands of Jal Samruddhi for filling Marathwada’s water gap

• Release 155 TMC water from the Konkan basin, already approved by the government.

• Allocate 53 TMC from the Krishna basin to Osmanabad, Beed, and Latur.

• Divert 32 TMC from Vidarbha’s surplus to Parbhani, Nanded, and Hingoli.

• Sanction an annual grant of ₹3,000 crore to bridge the irrigation backlog of 6.17 lakh hectares.

• Connect the Water Grid pipeline to the Nashik dam and revive regional statutory development boards.

• Implement the Wainganga project in Vidarbha to release 34 TMC water for Marathwada.

Experts concluded that Marathwada’s future hinges on political will and equitable water distribution. Without immediate intervention, the region faces a grim waterless tomorrow.