Maharashtra minister Sanjay Bansode on Saturday asked officials in Latur to make plans for water supply amid the possibility of scarcity in summer.
Water storage in the dams in the region is low due to less rainfall during last year's monsoon, he said.
Water from Manjra project is reserved for drinking purposes for Latur city and the local civic body must make arrangements for adequate supply, he said.
"To overcome water scarcity in rural areas, the Zilla Parishad must prepare village-wise list of measures. No village must be deprived of water," Bansode told officials.
Marathwada water woes
This comes a day after, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, speaking in the Legislative Council, said the condition in drought-prone Marathwada region was a matter of concern in view of the approaching summer.
"The condition in Marathwada division is a matter of concern. Last year, (this time around) Marathwada had 47 per cent water in its dams. This year the storage is just 24 per cent. The region needs special prioritisation (with regards to water management)," the deputy CM said.
Even a week ago Union minister Nitin Gadkari said that Water scarcity is a key problem of Latur. Elected representatives must take up issues related to it on priority. While coming here, I saw a river that had gone completely dry. If embankments or small weirs were made with empty fertilizer bags, it would have supplied water all day to nearby wells
Latur, some 290 kilometres from here, is part of the perennially parched Marathwada region and is Maharashtra's 16th largest city, often in the news for crippling shortage which require the running of 'jaldoot' or water wagon trains for its five lakh residents.
