In western region’s 27 major reservoirs, it is down to 11% of the total capacity.

Water storage in reservoirs of most States of west and south India has dipped to less than the average of last 10 years, the Central Water Commission (CWC) said, indicating a worsening water crisis.

According to the Commission, “The water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country for the week ending on May 30, 2019, was 31.65 billion cubic meters, which is 20% of total storage capacity of these reservoirs. This percentage was at 21% for the week ending on May 23, 2019.”

In the western region, which includes Gujarat and Maharashtra, there are 27 major reservoirs with total live storage capacity of 31.26 billion cubic metres (BCM).

“The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 3.53 BCM which is 11% of the total live storage capacity. The storage during the corresponding period last year was 15% and the average storage of the corresponding period in last 10 years was 19% of its live storage capacity,” the CWC said.

“Thus, water storage during the current year is less than the storage of last year and is also less than the average storage of last 10 years during the corresponding period,” the CWC said.

In southern region, which includes Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, 31 reservoirs are under CWC monitoring with a total live storage capacity of 51.59 BCM.

The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 5.91 BCM which is 11% of its total live storage capacity. The storage during the corresponding period of last year was 12% and average storage of last 10 years during the same period was 15% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs.

“Thus, the storage (in souther region) during the current year is less than last year and also less than the average storage of last 10 years during the corresponding period,” the CWC said.

Last year, several parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra received deficient monsoon showers. The situation is particularly grim in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra where water level in reservoirs have dipped to an all-time low.

Private weather forecaster Skymet said last month that rainfall in Vidarbha, Marathwada, west Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat will be “poorer than normal”, while southern India is expected to receive below normal rainfall.