Mumbai: Strong south-west monsoon rains since July 25 has increased water stock in Maharashtra’s dams by 8 per cent, but it is still 20 per cent less when compared to the same period last year.
The water stock in dams went up from 26.87 per cent on July 25 to 35.2 per cent as on Monday, a rise of 8.33 per cent, data showed.
However, the water stock in dams on July 29 last year stood at 55.03 per cent, or 19.83 per cent more than what is available currently.
Except Konkan (84.32 per cent) and Pune (53.99 per cent), the other four revenue divisions of the state have low dam water stock, an official from the State Water Resources Department said.
He said Aurangabad revenue division has only 0.31 per cent water stock in its dams and it has remained unchanged in the past four days.
Pune and Nashik have shown rise of 13.84 per cent and 8.9 per cent respectively in the last four days, he said, adding that intensity of showers have remained limited to these areas.
In Konkan, a coastal region, dam water is of little use to increase food grain production, whereas Nashik and Pune divisions, which cover north and south Madhya Maharashtra, are known for cash crops like sugarcane, onion, soybean, as well as cotton in a few pockets.
The food grain producing Marathwada region is still waiting for good rains, he said.
Nagpur, Amravati and Aurangabad divisions have reported dam water stock of 8.96 per cent, 9.05 per cent and 0.31 per cent respectively as on Monday.
With just two months left of the monsoon season, the situation is turning serious in some parts of the state, an official said.
Amravati had 8.12 percent water stock on July 25 which rose to 9.05 per cent on July 29, while the figure for Aurangabad remained unchanged at 0.31 per cent during the same period.
Konkan which had water stock of 70.52 per cent on July 25 had 84.32 per cent as on Monday, the figures for Nagpur were 6.87 and 8.96, Nashik 27.07 and 35.97, Pune 40.15 and 53.99 per cent.
