Only 8% water left in Marathwada dams

Due to an erratic rains, the water situation in the Marathwada region of Mahrashtra is grim with only eight per cent of water in its reservoirs.
The state recorded an average of 1.1 mm rainfall today, while Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Buldhana, Akola and Washim received nil rains, according to an official in the Chief Minister's Office.
Till yesterday, the state received 130.9 mm rains against average 205.5 mm.
"Since June, the state has received 493 mm rains, while it should be 831.4 mm. This is 59.3 per cent of the normal rainfall," an official in the Chief Minister's office said.

By this day last year, the state had received an average of 525.5 mm of rains, the official added.
Currently, there is a total of 18,018 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) water in the state's 2,229 reservoirs, which is 48 per cent of the total usable capacity. In 2013, it was 76 per cent, while last year it was 61 per cent.
"The water in Marathwada has reduced from 44 per cent in 2013 to 18 last year. The water table has now further depleted to 8 per cent in the region," the official said.