Some villages in Maharashtra are struggling to access water for daily use during the summer, as groundwater levels drop due to extreme heat. A video shared by the news agency ANI shows a woman from a village in Nashik risking her life to fetch water during the scorching heat.
The video clip shows villagers, mostly women, gathered around a well with metal pots in their hands. One woman is seen descending into the deep well with the help of a rope to collect drinking water. Notably, the well lacks a ladder, making it extremely dangerous to climb down. A fall could easily result in death.
Water Crisis in Nashik
However, the woman manages to descend safely and begins collecting water in her metal pot. The well appears to be nearly dry due to the summer heat, and the amount of water is minimal compared to its size, making it difficult to access. The woman is seen gathering small amounts of water using leaves and pouring it into a vessel.
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At a time when AI technology is being used to explore other planets and skyscrapers are rising across the state in the name of development, the lack of access to a basic necessity like water continues to endanger lives in Maharashtra.
In response, the Nashik district administration has approved a scarcity relief plan worth ₹8.8 crore, focusing on supplying drinking water to affected areas. The main aim is to deploy water tankers to provide relief to villages during the peak summer months.