Six tankers are supplying water to 20 locations in Malegaon, serving more than 13,000 residents, while Deola and Chandwad talukas have one tanker each catering to nearly 5,700 people combined
A severe rainfall deficit has pushed 103 villages across the district into a deepening water crisis, forcing the administration to deploy 35 water tankers to keep taps from running dry. The worst-hit is Yeola taluka, where an alarming 29 tankers now crisscross parched landscapes, supplying water to 82 locations and over 52,000 residents. “The average annual rainfall in Yeola is 453.7mm. This year, we have received only 241.5mm, just 53.2% of normal,” Nayab tehsildar Pankaj Nevse said, underlining the severity of the shortfall.
He said efforts were being made to ensure villagers did not have to struggle for drinking water despite the worsening scarcity. With drought conditions tightening their grip even during the festive season, the district administration said it was on high alert. District collector Ayush Prasad said the administration was maintaining a round-the-clock watch on scarcity-hit areas, while the rural water supply department has also begun acquiring private wells to bolster drinking water supplies.
Acting on the directives of guardian minister Girish Mahajan, officials are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to deploy additional tankers, tap alternative water sources and ensure uninterrupted access to safe drinking water.
The distress marks a sharp contrast to last year, when not a single tanker was needed in the taluka.