District bans assembly of more than 4

Deploy boats for smooth water supply; CrPC 144 around water plants still in force

The district administration of Latur, 480 km from here in the drought-hit Marathwada region of Maharashtra, will open a ‘war room’ to supervise law and order after its decision to impose a ban on assembly in parts of the city to ensure smooth supply of water.

Inadequate rainfall for a third year in a row has created a crisis in the city and the district. The administration has stepped by night rounds by police to avoid illegal lifting of water or its transfer. Small boats have been put into services in those reservoirs to keep vigil.

“The assembly ban is applicable only in and around the premises of six water treatment plants at the outskirts, a precaution after police started receiving complaints on scuffles over the storage,” Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse said.

There are  44,000 handpumps in the city and half have dried. He had, he said, been supervising the situation and the district administration has been delegated powers to make all the necessary arrangements for supply.

Also being explored, he said, was an option for transport of water through the railways after lifting it from the Ujani dam.

Pandurang Pol, district collector, said of the assembly ban: “'It has been made effective from March 11 and will be in place till April 1, to regulate water filling. The decision was taken after some members affiliated to a political party tried to put road blocks during the filling.”'

He said water was being brought from the Arvi, Dongargaon and Malkonji reservoirs, as the Manjara dam had completely dried.