Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: With rainfall far below normal and groundwater levels shrinking rapidly, the Ashti tehsil administration in Beed has imposed a ban on digging new borewells and warned of criminal action against violators.
The order notes that Ashti received significantly deficient rainfall between June and Oct 24, triggering severe stress on water resources.
“The prohibition on new borewells is intended to prevent indiscriminate extraction and protect existing sources from further depletion,” Patil said. Authorities said the remaining groundwater must be conserved and used judiciously to tide over the crisis. The move comes as drought conditions deepen across the taluka. Several villages are already dependent on water tankers for drinking water, while declining groundwater levels have heightened fears of wells and borewells running dry. The administration has directed officials to reserve water available in ongoing conservation and storage projects exclusively for drinking purposes. Vigilance teams have also been asked to prevent unauthorised withdrawal of water from these sources. Officials at the circle and village levels have been instructed to strictly enforce the ban. Any new borewell found to have been drilled in violation of the order will invite criminal proceedings against the landowner and others involved, including the owner of the drilling rig used for the work.
The order, issued by tehsildar Vaishali Patil on Saturday following directions from district collector Vivek Johnson, applies to both urban and rural areas and will remain in force until further orders.
Stay updated with the latest Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar news. The administration has also asked officials to report violations immediately to the tehsil office as concerns grow over water availability in drought-hit parts of Beed district. Download the TOI App.