Irrigation department give nod for storage of 18 TMC water in Marathwada

The irrigation department has given nod to a plan for storage of 18 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) water in drought-affected Marathwada region, the Maharashtra Legislative Council was told on Wednesday.

The plan would be tabled before the state cabinet for approval and forwarded to the Governor for his sanction, water resources minister Sunil Tatkare said, replying to a debate in the Upper House.

Efforts would be made to complete irrigation projects in the Godavari valley in three years, the minister said.

A time bound programme would be undertaken to make available 25 TMC water in Marathwada in five years, he said. Alleging that relief measures announced to tide over the acute water shortage in Marathwada region were too little, Opposition Shiv Sena legislators, led by Diwakar Raote and Neelam Gorhe, walked out of the House. Marathwada region, which has 822 water projects,including 11 major, 75 medium and 717 small projects in eight districts, has just around 8 per cent of water remaining in the projects. The percentage of water available is fast depleting and 11 projects that had more than 9 per cent water last week has dipped by one per cent in a week.