Maharashtra: Locals urge govt's intervention over water crisis in Solapur

Solapur (Maharashtra) [India], May 4 : Locals in the Solapur district of Western Maharashtra, where several villages are suffering from a severe water shortage, complain that despite elections every five years, little effort is made to address the water crisis issue, with situations getting so bad that it becomes difficult to obtain drinking water.

Speaking to ANI, a local, Ravi Raj Rao, said, "We have been seeing for years that as soon as summer comes, the water crisis across Solapur increases. Elections are held every 5 years, but nobody tries to resolve our water crisis. So, we are facing a serious issue. There has been no water supply through taps for 15-20 days. We have to struggle even for drinking water."

According to locals, water is being supplied by tankers once every 15 days to around 22 villages in Malshiras taluka of the district.
Due to the water scarcity, farmers in the region have reportedly halted farming activities.
Visuals show children climbing on tankers and collecting water through pipes, while women and elders struggle to collect drinking water as soon as tankers arrive to offer respite to the residents in the area.

With most of their groundwater resources already depleted, the villagers have no choice but to limit their daily water usage. They are resorting to collecting water in utensils placed under cots for bathing and then reusing the same water for washing.
Speaking to ANI, Malan Bai, a resident of one of the affected villages, expressed her grievances, stating that they receive water only once every 15 days. "Tankers arrive at a 15-day interval. We bathe by collecting water in utensils placed under the cots, and we wash clothes with the leftover water," she explained.
"We get drinking water by paying Rs 20 per day. The situation has remained unchanged since we got married and moved to this village. Leaders visit us during elections, but after the polls, they disappear and don't address our concerns," she further lamented.
Earlier, Congress' Jairam Ramesh, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Solapur on April 29, asked what the PM has done to address the water shortage in Satara and Solapur.
"The problem of drinking water shortage in Satara, Sangli and Solapur is getting worse with each passing day. Between March and April, the requirement for tankers increased by 13 per cent in Sangli, 31 per cent in Satara and 84 per cent in Solapur. Dams, ponds and lakes in the region are drying up at an alarming rate," he said in a post on X.
"The situation is the worst in Solapur, which has had two BJP MPs in the last 10 years. The water supply at the city's main source of water, the Ujani dam, has fallen below zero, and the city is currently dependent on "dead storage" in the dam. The situation has gotten so bad that the Solapur Municipal Corporation now has to supply drinking water on a rotating basis," he added.

Meanwhile, several 'talukas' (tehsil) in Maharashtra's Sangli district are also dealing with acute water scarcity, leading to growing concerns among residents in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
With the elections looming, addressing this pressing issue has emerged as a key topic of discussion among voters.
Residents in Sangli spoke to ANI and said that Jat, Kavthe-Mahankal, Tasgaon Vita, Atpadi and Khanapur are among other numerous 'talukas' in the district currently facing a dire shortage of water, causing apprehension among local inhabitants.
This issue has gained traction among voters who have shown significant interest in it, expressing a preference for candidates who pledge to address the problem effectively.
In response to worsening water scarcity, the administrations of Sangli and its nearby Satara districts last month enforced prohibitory orders along canals. These measures aim to curb water theft and prevent the transportation of cattle fodder outside the regions.
Following a deficient monsoon season, officials said dams and reservoirs in Sangli and Satara districts failed to reach their maximum capacity. Nearly seven months later, most lakes and ponds in the region have dried up, exacerbating water scarcity.
To manage the water crisis, prohibitory orders have been extended to canals reliant on major lift irrigation schemes in the Sangli district. These schemes, including the Tembu, Arphal, Krishna, and Mhaisal lift irrigation schemes, collectively provide water to 80 per cent of the district's population.
Water crisis issues gained momentum as the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections will take place on May 7, when 94 constituencies from 12 states, including Maharashtra, will go to the polls.
In the third phase, Baramati, Raigad, Osmanabad, Latur (SC), Solapur (SC), Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hatkanangle will go for polls.
Notably, Solapur parliamentary constituency will go to the polls in the third phase on May 7. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.