Industries may have to use recycled water: Subhash Desai

The state government is mulling to enact a law that will make it mandatory upon industries to use wastewater that is recycled.

Speaking with media persons on Wednesday, industries minister Subhash Desai said that the step has been necessitated more because of the severe drought conditions especially in Marathwada region. Meanwhile, it has also been revealed that out of the 11 major irrigation dams in Marathwada, seven dams have zero percentage of water stock.

As per the data released by the state water resources department for the week ending April 15, just three per cent of water stock remains in all the 814 major, medium and minor irrigation projects in Marathwada region.

The seven major irrigation dams in Marathwada where the water stock is zero percent include — Jayakwadi, Purna Siddheshwar, Majalgaon, Manjra, Lower Terna, Mannar and Sina Kolegaon in Aurangabad, Parbhani, Beed, Nanded and Osmanabad districts.

Besides these, the water stock in other four irrigation dams in the region is as follows — Purna Yeldari 2 per cent, Upper Penganga 10 per cent, Vishnupuri 7 per cent and Lower Dudhana 18 per cent. Also, 75 minor irrigation dams in Marathwada have just four per cent water stock and the 728 minor irrigation projects in the region have just 3 per cent of water stock left.

In view of the acute water scarcity in various parts of the state, the ministry of water supply has deployed 4,356 tankers all over the state to supply drinking water.

Out of this, 52 tankers are deployed in Konkan, 831 tankers in Nashik, 303 tankers in Pune, 3,032 tankers in Aurangabad, 131 tankers in Amravati and seven tankers in Nagpur divisions.

Meanwhile, Mr Desai said the move to make it mandatory for industries to use recycled water would save precious water during times of drought, which can be supplied for drinking water purposes. Mr Desai, however, clarified that the government has not totally stopped supply of water to industries in the state.