Marathwada has been left in a crippled state as severe drought keeps making a recurring appearance over the region. Keeping into account the plight of the residents, Downtoearth.org has done an in depth coverage of the Marathwada drought. The study mentions many other factors other than lack of rains, which are responsible for one of the worst Marathwada droughts ever.
Let’s take a look at a few highlights that depict the dry story of Marathwada:
In the year 1972 the state witnessed one of the worst droughts. However, even during that time, the problem then was the shortage of food grains and not water. Groundwater was available within six metres of depth. Now, borewells that are 244-metre-deep have also become dry.
As per a report of the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation published in April 2016, several irrigation projects in Marathwada districts have less than five percent water storage. Other parts of the state are also facing a similar situation. The region has been reeling under drought-like conditions for the past four years.
As per a former member of the Maharashtra State Planning Commission, the state is facing a “policy-induced water scarcity”. The rural economy has been suffering due to regional imbalance, faulty policies, unregulated mining of the groundwater, wrong cropping pattern and political apathy.
Due to a 50 percent Monsoon deficit, farmers in 15 per cent of the villages in the Latur district did not sow the kharif crop.
Also, farming pattern has changed in the Marathwada region in the past few decades. Instead of sowing drought-resistant crops such as jowar and chana, farmers have been sowing crops such as sugarcane. Marathwada receives 844 mm annually, while sugarcane needs 2,100-2,500 mm of rainfall.
Sugarcane is not alone to be blamed. The water structures in the state are also equally responsible. Due to lack of irrigation facilities, farmers have turned to groundwater because of which there is no water even 304 metres below the ground in some Tehsils of Latur.
On the other hand, Bhadegaon village Aurangabad district has remained drought free by adopting the ridge-to-valley approach of watershed management. Until last summer, Bhadegaon was dependent on water tankers. Since June 2015, not even a single water tanker has come to the village. The average annual income of families has gone up from Rs 31,000 to Rs 63,000.
To read the in-depth coverage of the Marathwada drought by www.downtoearth.org.in, click here.
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