Nagpur, 29 April (HS): People in the West Vidarbha region may face an acute shortage of water given only 35 per cent water was left in 281 reservoirs. Water scarcity is acute in the Akola, Buldana, and Washim districts.

The water storage in the nine major and 239 small irrigation projects are decreasing following a rise in temperature in the region. Katepurna Project in Akola is left with 21.97 per cent water. Van Project has 31.24 per cent water. Four medium projects in the Akola district – Nirguna, Morna, Uma, and Gungshi have about 23.75 per cent water left to meet the requirements in the region.

In the Buldana district the biggest Khadakpurna project is dry, while Nalganga project is left with only 18.36 per cent water. Pantakli project has only water 9.72 per cent of its storage capacity.

The condition of other medium projects is not better. The average storage is only 25.46 per cent. The projects include Dnyanganga, Paldagh, Mas, Koradi, Man, Torna and Utawali. Washim has three medium-level projects – Adan, Sonal, and Ekburji, which have about 46 per cent water. There is no big project in Washim district.

The condition is a little better in Amravati. The district has one major, seven medium, and 45 minor irrigation projects. The average storage is 45 per cent in these projects.

Yavatmal district, which has three major, six medium and 65 small projects has 39.99 per cent water available.

Hindusthan Samachar/ Ajay Mardikar/Manoj