Prohibitory orders in Latur town

Published: Mon 21 Mar 2016, 5:30 PM

With the situation in drought-hit Marathwada becoming precarious, authorities in Latur have imposed prohibitory orders, banning the gathering of more than five persons near water storage tanks.
The district collector of Latur, one of the most backward districts in the state, resorted to the drastic measure to prevent water tankers from being looted. In many parts of Marathwada, skirmishes break out as some people try to break the long queues waiting for water from the tankers.
Most of the lakes and reservoirs in Marathwada have gone dry following two successive years of bad rains. With summer just setting in and nearly three months before the onset of the monsoons in the hinterland of Maharashtra, the authorities have had to go in for the unprecedented measure of imposing prohibitory orders.
Pandurang Pol, the collector of Latur, issued directions under section 144 of the criminal procedure court as a preventive measure to tackle water-related violence. The orders are in force till May 31.
Tens of thousands of people from the drought-hit districts of Marathwada have migrated to other parts of the state. Hundreds of desperate farmers have also committed suicide in this backward region of Maharashtra.
Located in a rain shadow region, Marathwada comprises eight districts with Aurangabad being the most prominent. Sadly, despite receiving scanty rains, successive governments in Maharashtra have failed to provide irrigation in the region.
The state government has over the years pampered western Maharashtra, investing billions of rupees in major irrigation projects. Farmers in this region have abundant access to water and raise crops such as sugarcane, which consume a lot of water.
Most chief ministers of Maharashtra have traditionally been from western Maharashtra and politicians from there used to dominate state politics. But even though there were a few chief ministers from Marathwada - Shankarrao Chavan and Vilasrao Deshmukh, for instance - they failed to invest in irrigation and other infrastructure in the region. - nithin@khaleejtimes.com