The petition has challenged the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation's October 30 order, in which it has asked for the release of 8.6 TMC of water for the Jayakwadi dam.

 

It has been claimed that the order was issued despite the fact that the committee set up by the state government to study the recommendations of the Mendhegiri Committee has yet to file its report with the state government.

 

“We filed a PIL in the Supreme Court in 2018 objecting to the September 9, 2016, High Court order on the release of water, which is still pending. However, the latest GMIDC’s order will alter the current situation. Also, keeping in mind the drought-like situation we are facing, we have requested the apex court to give us relief from releasing water downstream. We have also said that authorities can instead use the 25 TMC of water available in Jayakwadi as dead stock for drinking purposes in case of emergency,” Kailas Tambe, chairman of the sugar factory, said.

 

“There was less rain in the region this year. If the water is released from the Mula and Pravara dams, even a small portion, it will have a huge impact on the availability of water in the dams across Nashik and Ahmednagar,” Tambe added.

 

 

“The PIL filed in 2018 also asks the Supreme Court to issue guidelines regarding the release of water from upstream to downstream dams along with seeking revision of the water sharing system between the two regions,” he added.

 

Due to less rainfall, the water table in Nashik and Ahmednagar districts has also dropped. This has increased the dependency of the villagers on canal-supplied water received from the storages. “The release of water will badly affect the drinking water for humans and cattle and the fodder for animals, besides the agriculture overall in the rabi season. We are hopeful the Supreme Court, which will hear the matter on November 21, will consider the facts and give us relief in the case,” said Uttam Nirmal, former executive engineer at WRD, who has filed a similar petition in the Supreme Court.

 

The GMIDC has ordered the release of 8.6 TMC of water from dams in the upstream areas of north Maharashtra to the parched regions of Marathwada on October 30. Of these, 2.1 TMC will be from the Mula Dam complex, 3.36 from the Pravara Dam complex (both in Ahmednagar district), 2.6 TMC from the Darna complex, and 0.5 TMC from the Gangapur Dam complex.

 

No discharge has taken place yet, allegedly due to political pressure. Meanwhile, political leaders from Nashik have already filed a PIL with the Bombay High Court, which is scheduled for hearing on December 5.