Girish Mahajan at a meeting with Nashik district collector Ayush Prasad and other officers
Guardian minister Girish Mahajan has directed the district administration to plan water use and reserve drinking water supplies until Aug 2027, given the drought situation, depleted soil moisture and next year’s Simhastha Kumbh Mela. The administration must, therefore, ensure that water is reserved for drinking purposes until Aug 2027,” Mahajan said.
“The situation in these talukas is not good because of erratic rainfall, poor crop growth and depleting groundwater levels,” Mahajan said. Mahajan said El Nino had affected rainfall across the region, making cautious use of available water essential. “The departments in both talukas should prepare village-wise plans for water and fodder required to protect livestock, conduct comprehensive crop loss assessments across affected villages, submit assistance proposals, and ensure timely tanker water distribution,” said the minister.
Nashik: The district may have comfortable water reserves now, but there is no room for complacency. “The water reserves in Nashik district are comfortable. However, the weather situation warrants greater caution. The rainfall deficit has reduced soil moisture, which will increase the demand for water for all purposes. Also, next year, we have the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. He also directed the administration to submit a comprehensive proposal to the state govt seeking drought-hit status for the district’s remaining five talukas. He also asked officials to ensure fodder availability for livestock and encourage farmers to grow fodder crops. Ahilyanagar guardian minister Radhakrishna Vikhe too reviewed the situation in drought-hit talukas of Shevgaon and Pathardi. The minister instructed the taluka administration to prepare plans for tanker water supply and conduct a village-wise livestock fodder survey.