MUMBAI: Maharashtra has suffered the worst drought in the last five years as most dams in the Vidarbha and Marathwada district ran dry. However, this year, authorities announced that dams in Maharashtra are filled adequately and they will last the summer this year. The same dams that were at 0 per cent capacity last year, like the Khadakpurna Dam, are now said to be at 50.52 per cent of water stock, according to estimates released by the state government. The Nalgnaga Dam, which was at 10 per cent of storage capacity last year, is now running at 91 per cent of its total capacity. The Pentakali Dam shows the most pronounced changed as it went from 0 per cent last year to 82 per cent of its total capacity this year.
The 3,267 dams in Maharashtra are said to be running at 53.65 per cent capacity this year and are therefore holding about 21,944 million cubic metre of water. This year’s estimates show a two-fold increase as compared to estimates from last year which showed the dams holding at 26.95 per cent of live water stock.