Maha CM may chair meet for alternate water source: Sources

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis may chair a meeting of ministers during the first week of May for making an "alternate source" of water available to farmers, even as Marathwada and Vidarbha regions reel under severe drought-like conditions, an official said here today.
"The CM might hold a meeting of ministers from departments like water resources, revenue, finance as well as relief and rehabilitation to decide on what could be done if there are no rains in Marathwada and Vidarbha this year as well.
"The Meteorological Department has already announced that parts of Maharashtra may face a drought this year as well," an official from the Relief and Rehabilitation Department told PTI.

"The state government has already sanctioned relief money to those who suffered due to unseasonal rains, drought and hailstorms. Since giving money is only a temporary measure, we have to look at long term measures as well," the official said.
He said that in order to implement the government's Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan (integrated water conservation and management initiative), a certain amount of rainfall is required, in the absence of which, the scheme cannot be implemented.
"Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan can go a long way in helping farmers get rid of drought conditions, but this scheme cannot work unless there is at least some rainfall," he said.

"The rivers integration scheme is a central subject which requires a long term view but to sort out problems in the state, the government may consider diverting water from the Konkan region to the drought-hit regions," he said.
The official said that if drought hit regions of the state do not receive rainfall for the next couple of years, the government would look at ways to divert water from regions where water is in plenty.
"We know that there is a lot of rainfall in the Konkan region every year and excess water can be diverted, but it will be a huge burden on the exchequer. However, to sort out problems of farmers in the long run, the government may bear this extra cost as well," the official said.