Drought is becoming major problem in Marathwada. Along with rain, groundwater levels are decreasing every year. In same drought situation, Rajasthan chose the way of water conservation and rain water harvesting to increase ground water level

1. Can ‪Marathwada‪learn from ‪Rajasthan‪?
‪#‪Drought‪and Marathwada are becoming synonymous. Rainfall is at its lowest
and ‪#‪groundwaterlevels‪are dropping drastically. This leaves us with one question, Is Marathwada
becoming a desert?
Annual‪rainfall‪in‪Marathwada‪is‪below‪700mm‪considering‪last‪5‪years‟‪average,‪whereas‪
Rajasthan‟s‪annual‪rainfall is 504mm. This definitely shows the transition of Marathwada into a
desert area. Natural water resources are also drying up slowly in Marathwada. It is getting difficult for
farmers to survive in such critical conditions. Traditionally, farmers here are dependent on water-rich
cash crops like sugarcane and cotton. According to farmers, it is impossible to recover costs
incurred in farming. Farmers are therefore either moving out, or committing suicide to get out of
nature‟s‪cruel‪clutches.

2. Will this drought end in Marathwada? Is there a solution? Yes, Marathwada can learn from the case
study of Rajasthan: „‪#‪RainWaterHarvesting‪‟,‪„‪#‪Johad‪water‪conservation‟.‪Rajasthan‪understood‪and‪
chose‪the‪mantra‪of‪water‪harvesting‪and‪conservation.‪Considering‪Rajasthan‟s‪water‪scarcity,‪low‪
rain levels and vanishing ground water resources, water conservation and harvesting seem to be
helping.‪Dedicated‪volunteer‪group‪“Tarun‪Bharat‪Sangh”‪is‪spreading‪awareness‪and‪helping‪
people to build JOHADs (an earthen bund or check damn to conserve water). These Johads are
helping villages to recharge water resources and increase ground water levels. Water levels in
ponds and wells are increasing magically.
Maybe‪it‟s‪time‪for‪Marathwada‪to‪learn‪from‪these‪success‪stories‪towards‪becoming‪drought‪free.
‪#‪WaterScarcity‪‪#‪WaterConservation‪
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