Water Theft Crackdown In Beed: 350 Motors, 50 Solar Panels Seized

Beed: Amid looming drought-like conditions and severe water scarcity in Beed district, authorities carried out a crackdown on illegal water extraction from the Majalgaon reservoir on Saturday, seizing 350 electric water pump motors and 50 solar panels.

With reservoir levels depleting, the district administration had reserved the available water exclusively for drinking purposes. Despite repeated advisories, several farmers and villagers were allegedly lifting water illegally using heavy-duty electric motors and solar-powered pumping systems. Following mounting complaints, a joint task force carried out an operation in the Mangrul 1 and Mangrul 2 areas along the reservoir on Saturday.

Officials dismantled pumping setups at three locations and seized hundreds of submerged and bank-mounted pump sets, along with solar infrastructure. The operation targeted unauthorised water extraction from the reservoir amid growing concerns over the availability of water for drinking purposes.

Authorities also warned farmers and villagers against unauthorised water extraction and obtained written undertakings from them, pledging that they would stop the practice. Water Resources Department officials said the operation would not be a one-time exercise. Given the need to preserve drinking water supplies, they warned that round-the-clock surveillance and similar enforcement drives would continue across the reservoir’s catchment area.

The coordinated operation involved personnel from the Majalgaon Reservoir Administration, Irrigation Department, Revenue Department, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and local police. Officials from the various departments worked together to identify and dismantle the unauthorised pumping arrangements and seize the equipment used for illegal water extraction.

The team included Irrigation Deputy Engineer Sheetal Mane, officials SS Shaikh and Madhukar Jadhav, Revenue Circle Officer Hange, Police Patil Altaf Shaikh, the local police sub-inspector and MSEDCL official SB Chavan, along with local gram sevaks and other ground-level personnel.