An alarming water crisis is unfolding across India as rivers run dry and reservoirs reach critically low levels. According to data released by the Central Water Commission (CWC), at least 13 east-flowing rivers between Mahanadi and Pennar currently have no water. These rivers, including Rushikulya, Bahuda, and Vamsadhara, play a crucial role in supplying water for irrigation and domestic consumption in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha.
The storage in the basin has witnessed a continuous decline, with the current storage standing at zero. Last year, the storage was 32.28 per cent of the basin’s capacity, highlighting the severity of the current situation. Furthermore, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have experienced large rainfall deficits since March 1, exacerbating the water scarcity in the region.
The water shortage extends beyond east-flowing rivers, with several river basins recording less than 40 per cent of their live storage capacity. The Cauvery, Pennar, and rivers between Pennar and Kanniyakumari are among the worst affected, facing deficient or highly deficient water storage.
Even the Ganga basin, the largest in the country, has recorded water storage at less than half of its total capacity, with concerns about declining water availability in over 286,000 villages located in the basin area.
Moreover, the Narmada, Tapi, Godavari, Mahanadi, and Sabarmati river basins have also seen significant declines in water storage relative to their capacities. While the storage position in these basins is considered ‘better than normal’ or ‘normal’ based on the average of the last five years, areas within these basins are experiencing extreme to exceptional drought conditions, according to the India Drought Monitor.
States like Karnataka and Telangana are grappling with drought and drought-like conditions due to rainfall deficits, leading to major reservoirs drying up. The live storage capacity in India’s 150 major reservoirs has dropped to 36 per cent of their total capacity, with several reservoirs recording no water storage.
With at least 86 reservoirs having storage levels at 40 per cent or below, the water crisis is posing significant challenges to agricultural activity, livelihoods, and socio-economic conditions in the affected regions. Urgent measures and sustainable water management strategies are needed to address the escalating water crisis and mitigate its impact on communities across India.
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