Mumbai: In a major relief to the drought-prone Marathwada region, the Jayakwadi dam reached 100 per cent water storage on Saturday, September 7. The dam, located in Paithan, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) is a major water supplier for Marathwada. Jayakwadi dam on the same day last year had mere 32.60 per cent water storage, according to the data by the Maharashtra Water Resources (WRS) Department.

What State Water Resources Data Says

Amid heavy rainfall this monsoon, all 2,997 dams in Maharashtra (including major and minor) have reached total of 83.15 per cent water levels, which is almost 20 per cent more than last year, the WRS data says.

If only major 138 dams are considered, which cover all regions- Konkan (including Mumbai), Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambjajinagar (Marathwada), the total water storage as of Saturday has reached 92.63 per cent. On the same day last year, the water level were mere 70.92 per cent, WRS’ live storage comparison report says.

It is the first time since 2018 that almost all major dams in Maharashtra have reached 100 per cent water storage, indicating that the state may not face severe water shortage up to next monsoon.

Water Level in Mumbai Lakes

Amid heavy rainfall in last few days, the seven reservoirs supplying water to Mumbai have crossed 98 per cent water storage. As of September 6, the water stock in seven lakes including Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Bhatsa, Tansa, Tulsi, Vihar and Modak Sagar was 98.06 per cent. On the same day last year, water stock in these seven lakes was 90.39 per cent.

Rainfall in Maharashtra

Last week, parts of Maharashtra, particularly the Vidharbha and Marathwada regions received intense rainfall. Several districts in Marathwada went under water and lakhs of hectors of crops were damaged. The flood-like situation took 12 lives and thousands of villagers were relocated to safer locations.

This monsoon, Maharashtra has witnessed above normal rainfall, with the state receiving more than 126% of average rainfall from June 1 until last week.

Jammu, Sep 7: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday assured restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly polls, which he said are the first under the national flag and the Constitution following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Modi government.

He accused the Congress-National Conference alliance of making attempts to revive the “old system”.

The NDA government will not allow the revival of terrorism, “autonomy”, and injustice with any community including Gujjars, Pahari, Bakerwals and Dalits who were granted reservation by the BJP dispensation, he said.

Shah is in Jammu on a two-day visit to boost the BJP’s election campaign for the three-phase assembly elections, beginning September 18.

He released the party’s manifesto on his first day of visit on Friday and also chaired two crucial meetings with senior leaders to discuss the campaign strategy.

“The coming elections in J-K are historic because after Independence, the polls are happening the first time under our national flag and Constitution, unlike in the past practice of two flags and two constitutions. We have only one prime minister from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and he is Modi,” the home minister told a BJP workers’ rally here on Saturday.

Taking a dig at the National Conference-Congress alliance, Shah alleged they are trying to push Jammu and Kashmir into the fire of terrorism once again when the government has brought down terror incidents in the union territory by 70 percent.

“The National Conference and the Congress will never be able to form a government in J-K, be confident about it,” Shah told the party workers, encouraging them to ensure the success of the BJP candidates to form the next government.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had a narrow escape while inspecting flood-affected areas in Vijayawada. On September 3, Naidu was on a small bridge evaluating the damage caused by recent floods when a speeding passenger train passed dangerously close to him. 

Naidu, along with his security personnel and officials, was standing near the railing on a narrow platform when the train whizzed by. A video of the incident has gone viral, showing the Chief Minister and his team standing just inches away from the fast-moving train. Passengers aboard the train were seen waving at Naidu as it sped past. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident.

Situation worsens due to heavy rains

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Andhra Pradesh has worsened due to heavy rains, claiming the lives of at least 32 people.

Vijayawada and surrounding areas have been particularly hard-hit, with thousands displaced from low-lying regions.

The NTR district, which encompasses Vijayawada, has suffered the most, with 24 fatalities. Other severely affected areas include Guntur, with seven deaths, and Palnadu, with one reported death.

More than 40,000 people have been moved to relief camps across the state as water levels continue to rise. Farmers, too, have borne the brunt of the flooding, with over 2.35 lakh farmers reporting significant crop damage due to the unrelenting rains.

In response to the crisis, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has donated Rs 5 crore for flood relief. His contribution is aimed at supporting recovery efforts across the state, with 400 panchayats set to receive Rs 1 lakh each.

“I will make sure these funds are directly deposited into the panchayats’ accounts, ensuring they are used for immediate flood recovery,” said Kalyan in a statement.

The Andhra Pradesh government continues to monitor the situation closely, working to provide relief and assistance to affected areas as rains persist across the region.