Industries in dry Aurangabad may have to shut down

AURANGABAD: Even as the controversy over distributing water to breweries in droughthit Marathwada continues, there are serious concerns that Aurangabad’s industrial hub, spread across four clusters and 5,000 units, may have to shut down because of water shortage. This may render lakhs of people jobless because there is little rural employment in the region owing to the drought.

The intake well at the Nathsagar reservoir ( of the Jayakwadi dam), from where it draws water, is currently operating at dead water storage and is likely to dry up within the next 10 days. To solve the problem, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) on Tuesday sent a letter to the state government seeking permission to build a canal from the submergence of the dam to its intake well to ensure water supply continues and the industrial estates do not shut down. This canal, however, falls under the ambit of the Jayakwadi bird sanctuary and requires a go-ahead from the forest department, which has said clearances cannot be given immediately.

The MIDC in Aurangabad has four industrial centres near the city, spread across 3,134 hectares, and gets 54 million litres daily (MLD) of water for these clusters, along with drinking water for 13 adjoining villages. If its water supply is cut, it could render the workers jobless in May. >> CONTINUED ON P11 >> RELATED REPORT, P11