Water dams in Marathwada get full after one decade; concern over crop loss due to downpour

Aurangabad, Oct 17:

The rain good seems to have pleased the Marathwada region for the first time after 1999 (one decade). The dams had got full up to their capacities due to downpour. The rainfall resolved the issue of shortage of water during the summer season, but the excessive rain pushed the farmers to sustain a heavy loss due to damage to standing crops.

There are standing pools of water to a height of 3-4 feet in the yields in many villages. The victims are hoping to receive help from the state government.

In 2006, there was cloud bursting in the surroundings of the Jayakwadi Dam. Many villages along with Paithan town had gone underwater. The region had witnessed heavy rainfall way back in 1999. The rainwater filled all the dams, but there was no loss of crops.

The whims of nature sometimes push to face inconvenience. A few years ago, the administration provided water to drought-hit Latur through the train. Of all the dams in the region, the water storage in Manjara Dam is 82 per cent. The administration would utilise water in the dams to be used for agriculture purposes, and the cultivation of Rabi Crops would be satisfactory.

The percentage-wise storage (in bracket) in different dams are as follows: Jayakwadi - 100 pc, Lower Dudhana - 100 pc, Yeldari - 100 pc, Sidheshwar - 100 pc, Majalgaon - 100 pc, Manjara - 82.57 pc, Painganga - 100 pc, Manar - 100 pc, Lower Terna - 100 pc, Vishnupuri - 100 pc, Sina Kolegaon - 100 pc and Khandaka weir - 100 pc.