How two key decisions by Maharashtra cabinet could prevent droughts in the future

India is facing an unforgiving summer with over 54% of its land parched and what is possibly the worst drought in recent history of the country.

The situation is dire in Maharashtra where parts of the state have completely run out of potable water and tube wells are bone-dry. But insufficient monsoon is not the only reason, wasteful use of water when it is plentiful and lack of stringent measures have only added to the depletion of the state's water reserves. 

However late, the drought has jolted the government into action. It took two key decisions on Tuesday that will help reduce the wastage of water and ensure better distribution across urban and rural dwellings and farmlands.

Closed pipelines to up efficiency by 20%

The Maharashtra cabinet chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis has approved a policy to streamline water distribution as well as demand management and supply water from new dams using closed pipelines, instead of the present system of using open canals.

MIDC pipeline that burst cause lakhs of litres of water to be wasted daily - dna

This close-conduit system will help reduce leakage, theft, evaporation and loss of water, ensuring more water is available for end-users, such as farmers, in times of recurring water scarcity. The cabinet brought this policy into effect keeping in mind the needs of farmers in the state.

Water would henceforth be distributed from dams through pipelines instead of canals. The measure comes in the backdrop of an estimate that almost 50% water is lost while being distributed through canals.

Another benefit of the underground pipelines is that there won't be any land acquisition cost involved, Water Resources minister Girish Mahajan said. Earlier, project costs increased due to higher compensation for land owners, he said.

The state government is turning to a pipeline-based network due to factors such as land acquisition, losses in the conventional system and problems in developing command areas, Mahajan said.

This policy aims to increase 20% efficiency of water utilisation and to also reduce the problems of land acquisition.

Only 15% water remains across the state. Seen here is the depleted water level in the Koyna Dam in Satara - PTI

Bringing in the experts

The cabinet on Monday also decided to bring an ordinance to give more representation to experts in the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority. The authority will have one Chairman and four members. The chairman will be either the CS or an equivalent rank officer or Retired High Court Judge. Expert members will be from ground water management sector, law and justice along with one member each from river basin agency area.

These key decisions come as a corrective step to deal with the drought. Tthe state has taken cognisance of the severity of the water crisis and hopes to bring in a mechanism to tackle similar situations in the future.

Whether these decisions will actually benefit the farmer remains to be a question only time can answer.  

(With inputs from PTI)