Indore

Indore, the economic capital of Madhya Pradesh, is likely to face a water crisis in the coming days due to a 27 per cent rainfall deficit this year, with the local civic body seeking a relief package of Rs 50 crore from the state government to tackle the challenges.

Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava told PTI on Wednesday that nearly 6,000 tube wells in the city dried up last summer, and this year's low rainfall could increase this number.

A relief amount of Rs 50 crore has been requested from the state government to address the impending water crisis in the city with a population of around 35 lakh, he said.

Officials said that Indore district recorded 633.1 mm of rainfall during the monsoon period from June 1 to September 30, which is 27 per cent less than the normal rainfall of 868.1 mm.

Indore city relies primarily on the Narmada River for its drinking water needs. The municipal corporation brings Narmada water from Jalud in neighbouring Khargone district, about 80 kilometers away, to Indore through a pipeline and then distributes it throughout the city.

Mayor Bhargava said that the city receives approximately 450 MLD (million litres per day) of water from the Narmada River, while areas without access to the Narmada pipeline require 200 MLD. Thus, the city's total daily water requirement reaches approximately 650 MLD.

He said the municipal corporation is preparing a special plan for areas where there is no Narmada pipeline and residents have to rely on tube wells or tankers for water.

The mayor said that water from the Narmada-Gambhir Link Project and the Narmada-Kshipra Link Project is planned to be used to fill the Yashwant Sagar and Bilawali ponds in December.

"Bulk water connections from the city's Narmada pipeline have been banned. We have also requested the district administration to immediately ban the digging of new tube wells by individuals," he said.

According to officials, approximately 30 per cent of the city currently lacks access to the Narmada pipeline, and the water crisis in these areas is expected to worsen in the coming days.

Groundwater scientist Sudhindra Mohan Sharma said that due to low rainfall, groundwater recharge in the city has decreased, and increased exploitation will continue to put pressure on the groundwater.

"Due to low rainfall and rising temperatures in the coming days, evaporation will increase and soil moisture will decrease. This will also increase the need for water for plants and crops," he said.

In these circumstances, the administration and citizens should jointly prepare a 'water budget' for the city, Sharma said.

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He said the city's water demand and supply should be assessed to determine how much water can be consumed daily until the next monsoon rains.