Haphazard measures to combat drought

The Manjara river rejuvenation work was implemented in Latur, Maharashtra under the leadership of Art of Living and RSS Jankalyan Samiti in the summer of 2016.

The article (PDF attached) evaluates the validity of the approach--of widening and deepening of Manjara river to quench the thirst of Latur city--by analysing the hydrology of the basin. It critically analyses the process of implementation that involved gross violation of multiple rules and regulations and also the contribution of the project towards its intended purpose.

The investigation proves that the rejuvenation of Manjara river has not contributed even a single drop to the drinking water supply of Latur city, making all the efforts futile. After such a massive work lauded as success and even after witnessing a good rainfall--21 percent excess than normal rainfall in Marathwada (IMD 2016)--Latur city has been receiving water only once a week, even after one year of completion of the project. Moreover, the rejuvenation work raises concerns over increasing involvement of non-government organisations (NGOs). They are tinkering with the sensitive river ecosystem with their questionable knowledge of mitigating water scarcity while government agencies who are the custodians of rivers silently observe this process.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of India Water Portal.