Water crisis deepens in Balapur taluka as rivers dry up and taps stay dry for 8-10 days

The water problem in Balapur taluka of Akola district has become very serious. Scarcity is growing across the taluka, including its rural areas. Of the three main rivers considered the lifeline of the taluka, the Mann, Mahesh and Bhikund, all except two major dams on the Mann have run down to the bed, as have the smaller check dams and ponds.

Villages have been hit directly. In many villages, taps stay dry for a full 8 to 10 days, and people are facing acute shortage. The water level in the river has already fallen, and water hyacinth vines now cover the entire river. Meanwhile, Ganeshotsav and, right after it, Navratrotsav were celebrated with great fanfare.

For the past two days, idols of Goddess Durga have been immersed with the help of a crane from the bypass road, over the Mann river bridge on the national highway at Balapur. Hundreds of Ganesh and Devi mandals come to Balapur for immersion, from Akola district as well as neighbouring Buldhana district. With hundreds of large idols immersed in a Mann river already suffering from water scarcity and water hyacinth, conditions have worsened badly. The idols are large and the river does not have enough water, so many Devi idols can be seen floating on the water or half submerged.

In addition, the nirmalya (used offerings) collected after nine days of devout worship is being thrown straight into the river. Filth has spread across the river. Citizens are angry at the situation. They say that taps in their areas already stay dry for 10 days at a time and they have to search for drinking water. On top of that, the water level of the Mann river keeps falling. Immersion has left a huge amount of dirt and offerings in the river. Citizens demand that the administration act at once and clean the river, or a serious health problem will arise in the coming days.

Despite the shortage of water, no proper alternative arrangement has been made, so the water crisis ahead is set to deepen. Given the present conditions, there is a strong apprehension that Balapur taluka will face severe water scarcity next summer. On one hand, the groundwater level is falling fast; on the other, pollution of the rivers is rising fast.

It has therefore become necessary to remove the water hyacinth from the Mann river at once, to clean up the offerings and waste piled up at the immersion sites and run a river-cleaning campaign, and to take up water conservation work immediately to avert the water crisis ahead. It is being said that if the local administration does not give immediate attention to this serious matter, intense public anger may erupt.